Path of the Whirling Shadow
by Ezequiel Kirishiki
Summary: [AU] "I don't want to live like the rest. The Whirlpool was destroyed and its remnants are scattered through this world. Their whirling Will still lives in me and has been passed through the power of the Death God. With the skills of their bloodline and the ones I'll get along the way. I'll become the strongest among the shinobi... I'm an Uzumaki, by name and by blood. Believe it!"
1. End of the Kage Summit

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related with both the Anime and Manga, all those are the property of his author (Masashi Kishimoto).**

* * *

 **Path of the Whirling Shadow.**

 **Book I: Whirpool's Heir. **

**Arc Zero: "The World's History"**

 **Prologue: End of the Kage Summit - Eien Hokage no Chikara.**

* * *

 **Key:**

"Voice"

 _'Thinking'_

"Summoning/Jutsu!"

 **"Summon/Bijū talking"**

 _'Summon/Bijū thinking'_

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Location: Tetsu no Kuni (Iron Country) - Kage Summit Building.

"I still cannot believe that him, of all people, would dare to do this," Temari commented while looking at the wreckage in the room caused by the combat that had happened a few hours earlier between kage-level opponents. The Wind Mistress sighed before accommodating her precious Tessen in her back again and walking.

"You know what they say, sis, the quietest ones are the ones you should worry about," Kankurō commented to his side. The puppeteer was still a bit mad by the damage that a certain Oto-nin mummy had inflicted to Sasori, which was the reason why his favorite puppet was sealed inside a scroll for the moment. He and his sister had come to see the remnants of the dispute.

Temari sighed before walking towards the nearest exit with her brother following her behind. They saw a pair of samurai helping to collect the remains of those who had perished in the combat, the wounded had already been taken care of but it was doubtful that they would ever manage to recover, especially taking into account the wounds that they had received.

"Do you think Gaara and the other Kage have already reached an agreement?" Temari asked, turning over her shoulder before receiving a snort from Kankurō.

"Pff, after the little party of a few hours ago and the revelation of the masked lunatic, I very much doubt that they will remain at each other's throats for a while," Kankurou answered, glancing sideways at the people in the next room.

"Something new?" Akatsuchi asked from his place on the sofa. Iwagakure's stocky shinobi was still as cheerful as ever. Perhaps because of the fact that he had not been present in the attack of the previous chamber even though he had been one of those who had witnessed the speech of the terrorist Tobi.

"I doubt it Akatsuchi-san, they do not come from the chamber where the Gokage and Mifune-dono are currently meeting." Answered a young man with dark brown hair and dressed in the style of a Konoha Jōnin. The tone of his lavender eyes was more than enough presentation to know who he was: a Hyūga.

"Not all of us are gifted with eyes able to see beyond surfaces in a Campfield of 360 degrees, Neji-kun." Answered the angelic voice of the third person sitting in the room.

Another young man, a little older than Neji and dressed in the uniform of a Kirigakure Hunter-Nin with the exception of his mask, which hung from his belt. He had an androgynous appearance that many would even see as beautiful. He had long black hair, pale skin and large, dark-brown eyes, and a slender frame. His long hair was gathered in a white bun holder, while two locks of it fell loose framing his face, bound with metal hair cuffs at the ends.

"Well, not everyone has the ability to manipulate ice at will," Neji answered, allowing a smirk to spread between his lips.

"Touche," Haku replied, putting both hands together before looking at the Sand Siblings, Temari in particular since she was the only one who held a serious profile.

"Where are the rest of the guards?" Asked the sister of the Kazekage. "Are they ready to leave? I doubt they'll take much longer in that meeting."

"No idea," Akatsuchi replied as he rubbed his small goatee. "Hōzuki-san is still in the infirmary, because of his unique structure, the native medics have no idea how to treat him in that state, especially after being exposed to that quantity of high voltage. The two of Kumo have not moved from their place in front of the Summit's chamber and the red-haired sailor-mouth lady ... "

Hurried footsteps were heard from one of the halls before a new silhouette appeared in the room.

"FUCKING USELESS SERVICE!"

"... is right here ..." Lamely finished Akatsuchi.

"You'd think she'd change after the beating she gave the black-haired chick that was on the Uchiha's team." Kankurō murmured to his sister, who merely nodded.

Crimson hair billowed as the young woman placed both hands on her waist and advanced where the rest were seated. She passed by Akatsuchi much to his relief and did not dedicate a single glance to Kankurō but she threw a slight mock-glare to Temari who only rolled her eyes. Three fucking years had passed since that and the redhead was still sore about that subject.

She ended up standing in front of Haku and Neji and gave them a look with her black eyes that promised pain if they did not do what she asked and in this case, that could be very true.

"Make some room faggots." She ordered, which they did and allowed her to sit between them with a few centimeters of personal space.

She settled both arms behind her neck and closed her eyes obviously enjoying her position.

 _'She's scary'_ Thought Akatsuchi.

"Man, one would think that your mouth could not have gotten any dirtier." Commented Kankurō in a low voice. Too bad that it was not low enough

"What was that make-up boy?" Asked Tayuya this time sending a dose of concentrated KI towards the puppeteer

"Nothing Sailor-mouth, nothing." He replied rolling his eyes.

"Heh, that's what I thought. Nothing, just like you." Answered Tayuya sitting much better in her seat while Kankurou wondered for a thousandth time why the redhead Hokage had not brought someone better as a bodyguard other than Neji like his other former brunette teammate or the Nara, even the creepy bastard of Sai would have been welcome.

"Agh," Growled Tayuya from her place, "My back is still sore, that ogre did really make a number on me when he stamped me against the fucking stone pillar. Shame that my Genjutsu did not affect him ..." She scowled at the memory.

"Don't be so frustrated Tayuya," Neji commented from his place. "Those four were easily comparable to S-rank shinobi because of their artificial improvements. In addition to the intelligence we have obtained from the self-proclaimed 'Hokage's future wife'," He added while rolling his eyes, " The guy you faced was the source behind all of Orochimaru's Juinjutsu. "

The mention of that woman seemed to bring another scowl to Tayuya's face who was not very pleased with it and she was not the only one.

"Whatever, when do Shithead and the others end their tea party?" She asked before they all heard a couple of steps approaching and a pair of samurai entered the door accompanied by another young woman in Iwagakure's Jōnin uniform.

The Samurai retired, clearly having finished their duty leaving the other Iwagakure escort with them.

Kurotsuchi smirked while she put her arms behind her neck, a posture that was commonly seen in a certain redhead with which all the shinobi on the room were in good terms.

"Gramps and the rest are in a good mood to be people who should be behind their throats." Commented the tomboyish-like kunoichi before taking a seat next to Akatsuchi. "It seems that an alliance between us is no longer a dream, like that of the first Kage."

Neji sighed. "I see, it seems that everything is going well according to Tsunade-sama's intentions." He imitated Haku's stance, "It's hard to think that for the first time the five great shinobi nations will be joining forces."

And it was true. The five great superpowers had already fought three great and bloody wars the previous decades perpetuating a cycle of hatred among the shinobi, but now, they were more than willing to leave behind that era of conflicts and act together against an unprecedented threat. How the times had changed.

"Zabuza-sama always said that a fourth war was inevitable," Added Haku and his angelic countenance seemed to be a bit sad, "But by now, it is highly unlikely that he imagined something like this."

"I very much doubt that anyone from previous generations would have imagined this," Temari answered while supporting herself in her giant fan. "Our enemies have united and sworn to destroy us. It's not that they lack reasons, or men or armament, " She added in a somewhat dark tone.

"And this time, it's not about any of us operating against the rest," Kankurō added. The first war had been an everyone against everyone and had defined the boundaries and scales of the food chain between the hidden villages. The second had been an everyone against Konohagakure with some disputes between Iwa and Suna and Iwa and Kumo while the third had been Kiri, Kumo, Iwa against Konoha and Suna, although also Kumo and Iwa had fought for a time like Kiri with Suna and Kumo. But now, the board was very different.

"This is literally a Shinobi World War," Kurotsuchi commented before taking a seat next to her Iwa-nin companion. "How could that cyclops bastard get the support of the smaller fish?"

"Kamizuru-san, with all due respect." Haku added, "That's the same attitude that led us to this conflict, we continue to underestimate the rest of the hidden villages, especially when some of them have more than enough power to fight with some of ours."

"For the Sage, Yuki!" Snapped Kurosuchi somewhat annoyed to have been reprimanded. "Kurotsuchi is fine, I don't like using my Clan's name."

"Heh, I knew I was going to like this Rock-crawler." Commented Tayuya with a smirk. "I don't like to use that bastard name either, they can go and lick Otogakure's and the asshole of their leader ass whenever they want."

 _'Oh perfect.'_ Kankurō thought _'The two crazy bitches get along, how the hell does Naruto manage to deal with them?'_

But before the puppeteer had a chance to add his two cents to the conversation, Neji stepped forward, staring up at the ceiling.

"It seems the meeting is over, I see the Kage chakra signatures coming out of the room followed by Kumo's two bodyguards." Announced the Hyūga as he watched with his Dōjutsu. "They are separating down the stairs, but both the Hokage and the Kazekage are coming down here."

"At least." Kankurou finally said as Temari nodded before adjusting her fan back into her back. "They sure took their sweet time." The rest hurried to get up to meet the two shinobi leaders approaching.

The door opened revealing another group of samurai who lined up just to show the two figures who were escorted down the hall.

The first was a young man with fair skin, green eyes, and naturally spiky red hair. He lacked distinctive pupils and eyebrows and had tanuki-like black rings around his eyes. The kanji for "love" was carved on the left side of his forehead.

He was wearing a long-sleeved crimson coat and full-length dark trousers with a pair. Over the coat, he had two buckled belts, the gray vest held in place by a single strap over his left shoulder, and two buckled belts which he also used to carry a giant calabash-shaped gourd. Covering his head was the white one with the red colored part that had engraved the kanji for **Kaze (Wind)**.

But it was the second figure who attracted the most attention. A young man, easily the same age as the Kazekage and only a little taller. He had a skin between tan and fair that evidenced that he was someone who worked too much in the field and like his Kage companion, he also had crimson red hair, but there ended the comparison. While the Kazekage's hair was spiky, the Hokage's hair was only arranged in that style on the right side, while on the left it was straighter.

Deep penetrating azure eyes that normally kept an atmosphere of mischief but for the moment they looked serious. Six strange whisker-like marks adorned his cheeks; Three in each one, which gave him a certain feral appearance.

He was wearing a jacket as red as his hair with a black flames design on the bottom and the symbol of a crimson swirl surrounded by a black ring on his back. Underneath was a thick black shirt as well as a pair of belts that ran down his torso and a third around his waist. He also wore a pair of black pants with certain blue lines, a pouch was tied in his right leg with bandages.

In his neck hung his **Hitai-Ate (Forehead Protector)** that had proudly engraved the symbol of the Leaf while in his head it rested a hat identical to the one that carried the Kazekage with the exception of having red coloring and with the kanji for **Hi (Fire)**.

The Sixth Hokage Candidate.

He snapped his fingers indicating that the samurai could retreat and looked ahead as his serious countenance disappeared and was replaced by a fox-like grin while he waved.

"Hi everyone!"

"Hokage-sama" Bowed Neji and saluted Akatsuchi.

"Naruto." Said Temari, Kurotsuchi and Kankurō.

"Naruto-kun," Said Haku.

"Shithead." Finished Tayuya gaining glares from the others and a few snickers from the back. The samurai was surely taking advantage of their helmets to hide their grins.

Naruto merely chuckled before taking off his hat, "There's no need for formalities, I'm just the candidate and the meeting has ended."

And it seemed that even when he was in adversity or taking the role of the military leader of one of the Five Villages, Naruto did not lose his humility and good humor. Well, if they did not take into account the time in which he had faced Akatsuki, in which he showed why he had been chosen for the position despite his age.

Of course, the fact that the rest of the candidates were ... umm ... 'ahem', indisposed also had to take on account.

"Of course, just ignore that I'm also standing here." Said Gaara half-amused. The Kazekage was never tired of seeing his best friend's antics as well as the effect he had on numerous people. Although seeing how the redhead had managed to change various ways of thinking with words alone in the past was truly admirable. Who would have thought that behind that facade of someone who did not seem to take anything very seriously lied a mind as cunning as one of the animals that were part of his motives? After all, that had been one of the names given to him during the Chūnin Exams four years ago.

 **Akashio no Kitsune (The Fox of the Red Tides.)**

"Oh, sorry Gaara, its just that you never spoke." Said Temari smirking while Kankurō nodded, gestures that made Gaara's green eyes roll. They respected him more when he was in his deranged state and was the terror of Suna. Of course, he did not miss those days and he was quite grateful that his friend had practically inflicted the biggest beating of his life on him, changing him for the better, and also teaching him that using Wind against Fire wasn't a good idea.

Ah, good times. In which they did not have to deal with large-scale wars or alliances between supercriminals and people with god- complexes.

"So, it's the meeting over?" Interceded Kurotsuchi not wanting to get into the family drama of the Kazekage Clan.

Naruto sighed, "You could say that Akatsuki's attack and Madara's statement were a gift from heaven." He snorted before continuing, "It seems that after revealing our respective dirty rags in relation to Akatsuki, we are all at hand, therefore ..."

"The Five Great Shinobi Nations of the Continent will really join forces." Finished Gaara.

The Kage escorts grimaced. Haku in particular, the Hunter-nin put a hand on his mask and sighed as he shook his head. "The only thing that could unite us in the end, is nothing more than an enemy towering over us." Said the last of the Yuki before a scowl settled on his angelic features, "Too bad that this is not going to end that well, for them." The Mizukage's escort surely had changed, especially when he had learned who was the real responsible for his Clan's massacre.

"Not only that," Naruto added, "With each passing minute, they gain more strength and followers, our predecessors were too reckless letting the feudal lords line up on their own." The red-haired Kage shook his head, thank goodness that he was in good terms with the rest of the Kage because of his actions in the past, only that had allowed them to ignore their differences and finally join forces against what was going to happen. Almost unconsciously, he caressed one of the four rings he wore in his right hand, especially one of purplish-gray color, his finger stayed on the kanji engraved on the ring. **Rei (Zero)**.

"-ey only have two of them in their hands after all." Was saying Gaara when Naruto finally returned the conversation.

"Good thing they were not at the level of the Raikage's brother. I would pay to see the expression of that cocksucker when he saw the power of the Bij **ū** against him. I bet he wet his pants." Snickered Tayuya while Neji was resisting the urge of rolling his eyes.

"Seeing the power he had a few hours ago, how the hell do you think he won't reach that level?" Sentenced Temari remembering very well the malevolent chakra that the Uchiha had unleashed while he revealed his new trump card.

"The power of the darkness," Gaara added as his green eyes narrowed. "And that added to the monstrous firepower that the sage arts bestowed upon him, there is no doubt that he will become something much worse than I was in the past." The Kazekage nodded, "No, it's worse than that, the only one that poses a greater threat would be 'Madara.' " He sentenced, putting an emphasis on the last name while looking at Haku who merely nodded.

"But he's not invincible." Neji added, "Naruto has never lost against him, even in the days of the Academy. Despite having the modifications made by Orochimaru plus the tricks he learned in his time as Nuke-nin, Naruto gave him the beating of his life twice. I was present at both. "

"The Amegakure Pursue?" Asked Kurotsuchi, tilting her head, "The Iwa patrols stationed near Ame no Kuni almost had a heart attack seeing the chakra readings fired near that area. And those who ventured there almost believed they were stuck in a genjutsu when they saw the devastation that was now in that area, monstrous black flames that the rain couldn't extinguish according to what I heard."

"Indeed," added Haku. "Even on the border, Misuno could detect their chakra, which was more monstrous than that of Kisame Hoshigaki, and that's counting the fact that we were fighting against him and the rest of Sasuke-san's followers."

"Anyway," Naruto finally spoke while still stroking his rings, just to reach his hand up to the silver bracelet in that hand with a couple of characters etched on the surface. Most of the tools he had used against Sasuke had become useless, but it did not matter, he could always create more. The advantages of being the Hokage and having his old division back, oh and being the undisputed master of the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu and its derivatives.

"Despite 'Madara's words', there is no such prophetic thing as that stupidity he said. 'That the Uchiha and the Senju always face death to decide the course of history. 'A pity that I am not a Senju, I'm a Uzumaki. " Finished the red-haired Hokage while his eyes turned slightly purple just to return to their original color after a few seconds.

The latter had been said with too much pride. It was no secret that the Kyūbi's Jinchūriki had an intense pride in his lineage, although it was not exactly general knowledge that he had started his ninja career with the intention of living up to his legacy, of course with the passage of How his thoughts and purposes had changed, but a part of that will still reside there.

"Pff, like half the shit that that masked prick said was true." Added Tayuya while stroking her demonic flute, "A ten-tailed Bijū that can destroy the world? A Genjutsu capable of subjecting everyone to an endless dream? Oh, and let's not forget that the fairy tale of the Rikudō Sennin now turns out to be real," Snorted the red-haired young woman before another scowl settled on her features remembering how her genjutsu proved to be futile during the battle.

No one said anything after that. Everyone, with the exception of Naruto and Gaara, had felt overwhelmed by those revelations that seemed to have sprung from ancient myths. They knew some fragments of history by the Bijū that sealed within them. But of course, that would not have prevented them from being surprised by the existence of the Jūbi.

Well, at least Gaara had been genuine. Naruto, on the other hand, had simply faked it, after all, he had already learned about the history of the world and how it was formed. He had learned the origins of that monster at an early age. That had been one of the greatest catalysts in his life after all.

He was going to live his life without ever having to see that nightmare. He had sworn it right there before he took the road that led him to become who he was now.

"Even so, their so-called master plan of reuniting the nine Bijū is still a far cry basing on their results." Added Kurotsuchi while counting with her fingers, "I mean, just how many of the beasts they have in their possession right now?"

"That hardly means that they're not going to try to capture the others during the war." Remarked Kankurō folding his arms. The Akatsuki had yet to make a move against his brother, and knowing that most of the organization affiliates in Suna had already fallen in battle, it was difficult to assume when and how they were going to do it.

"The Gobi is once again in Iwa's possession thanks to Hokage-sama here," Added Akatsuchi, "I also heard that the Sanbi has been recovered by Kiri and the Nanabi remains safe in Taki."

"You're not wrong." Confirmed Naruto, "And Kumo still has their two while Gaara and I still have our big friends inside our guts, that leaves only two left." Sentenced the Hokage, his usual grin fading only to be replaced by a frown. He had been too late to prevent the capture of those two.

But before any of the presents could say something, he, Neji and Kurotsuchi raised their heads towards the ceiling sensing a few great chakra signatures moving at the distance.

"The rest of the Kage" Muttered Naruto using his Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment), which was confirmed by Neji's Byakugan and Kurotsuchi's own sensor skills.

"I take that's our cue to leave." Said Kurotsuchi getting nods from the others which made the black-haired kunoichi sigh before she started to walk towards the exit, not before giving a playful punch to Naruto in the shoulder ignoring the growl from Tayuya and Temari's glare, much to Neji and Kankurou's amusement.

"See you later, fox-boy" She teased before exiting the room closely followed by Akatsuchi who merely shook his head barely repressing a snicker.

Haku was next, the androgynous hunter-nin bowed, "It seems that I also must depart, Mei-sama doesn't like to wait too much and I also need to pick up my fellow swordsmen from the medical chambers, Kami knows that she will never let me hear the end of it if I leave him there." Explained the Ice user before turning back and disappearing in the hallway leaving the Suna and Konoha escorts alone with their respective Kage.

"So," Kankurō started, "What now?"

Naruto and Gaara shared a momentary glance before the former turned to his escorts. "Neji, Tayuya-chan, go to the entrance compound and wait there for me, but before that, go to the Vault 6 and retrieve our new 'guest', if someone asks, just show them this" Naruto finished while throwing a small scroll that he had extracted from his jacket.

"Got it, let's move then," Neji said while grabbing the scroll and practically dragging a still fuming Tayuya with him.

Gaara turned to his siblings and ordered them to wait in the same place, which they obeyed not before waving to Naruto who did the same until they disappeared from view.

Then, Naruto's usual grin slowly faded away only to turn into a serious frown that turned to Gaara who merely nodded, causing the blue-eyed Kage to sigh before turning to the exit.

"Lets walk for a while, shall we?"

The green-eyed Kazekage nodded and the two red-haired young men began to walk through the hallway in complete silence. Even their own footsteps were barely audible while they walked.

While Gaara was on the left, Naruto was on the right side, both Kage advanced without muttering a single word. They seemed to speak through unknown means to every other person, through a long-lost method only known to those who carried the burden of the titanic chakra beings that were the Bijū.

Tailed Beast Telepathy.

"That went well, more than we expected." Commented Naruto through the mental link, "It is certainly good to know that we have managed to convince the others to ignore their differences for a while."

 _"We?"_ Was the answer of a very amused Gaara, _"You are the one who gained their trust first, I merely followed your advice of years ago."_

 _"You give me way too much credit Gaara."_ Replied Naruto, passing his hand over the forehead protector, tracing his finger over the leaf symbol engraved on t, _"I did what I had to do, for the sake of the future and our people."_

Gaara shook his head, _"That's what I'm talking about, you have that aura around you that makes people want to follow you, that's even more of a power than your own prowess in numerous branches of the Shinobi Arts and the one of the burdens we share. That's what you used to put us, the rest of the Gokage on the same team."_

Naruto merely nodded and they keep walking in silence, not saying anything through their mental link, the Hokage was busy remembering those words from his best friend.

 _'It is true'_ He thought while caressing the crystal that constituted the Shodai's Hokage necklace on his own neck, _'I did manage to change others for the better or worse with words alone.'_ And it really was true, after all, one of them was currently walking at his side and a few others were in the very same building.

 _"Few people are able to wield and use words in the same fashion as kunai."_ Those were the words of one of his most recent and trusted teachers, who had also warned him about the man that would also become his worst enemy since birth. Shame that he couldn't attend the Summit, not even disguised, those were the disadvantages of being technically ummm...Dead, yeah.

Both had arrived at a terrace partially covered by snow, from it, the view of the extense snowy plainland that constituted the Land of Iron. Being the two from the southern and central regions, the cold would have probably affected them but the two redheads looked completely normal, like they were on a sunny day, another of the perks of containing a Bijū.

"You didn't tell them about that." Pointed out Gaara after a few minutes, "Why?"

Naruto drily chuckled, "I don't want to risk anyone else finding out. I'm perfectly aware of the spy network that that hag of a woman has over the Elemental Nations. Only Kiri, and to a minor degree, Suna is safe from eavesdroppers." Sentenced the Kyūbi Jinchūriki throwing a glance towards the building on the back, "That way, they will never see it coming."

Gaara nodded, sometimes he forgot that his best friend wasn't just a dangerous opponent on the field, he also wasn't a stranger towards shinobi politics, thus the reason why he had been chosen to serve as Konoha's ambassador on Kirigakure almost a year ago before he returned to claim the Fire Shadow Seat.

"Do you realize that it's not going to be easy, right?" Continued the Ichibi's Jinchūriki folding his arms together, "In all the Hidden Villages' history there have never been any signs of what you are planning to do, and for good reasons."

"They're the source of our very same success, I know." Said Naruto with a hand gesture, "You're starting to sound like Iruka-sensei, jeez." Replied the blue-eyed Kage before unsealing two sake bottles from the inside of his jacket and passing one to his friend.

"I'm merely pointing out a fact," Replied Gaara before taking a drink, while the Kazekage's expression was carefully neutral, a frown could also be seen there. "The Daimyō are certainly not weak, while they lack strength-wise like us, they have entire armies and wealth to compensate for that. With their riches, they are able to match the power of a Hidden Village on their own and contrary to the popular belief, they are not that stupid." The ring-eyed Sand user remarked the last part.

"I'm more worried about their advisors and the people behind the throne." Replied Naruto while his eyes narrowed remembering his temporary stance in the capital as one of the Guardians. Certainly, not even Orochimaru's numerous lairs where that filled with snakes and leeches. His eyes also narrowed at the memories of a white-haired man armed with a shakujō who acted like the Daimyō's shadow, always following him everywhere. That mas was so going to be a problem, and that wasn't counting the rest of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and the Ashigaru and Samurai alike, plus the rest of the court.

He was going to need time to make his preparations for that, fortunately, he counted with the help of some forces in the capital, which was one of his greatest advantages.

"If that works," Continued Gaara before finishing the bottle, "Not only you are going to be the one holding the reins of Hi no Kuni, you will also mark the Daimyō Era to an end."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Answered Naruto, "There's always a first time for everything, and this time, they are the seeds that need to be plucked for the rest to survive." He stopped while caressing once again his rings, "You, more than anyone else know that I don't have lost love for the Akatsuki, but that hardly means that they are wrong about some things."

"This world needs to change, I know" Replied the Kazekage now seeing to what the Hokage was after, "Like you told me all those years ago, but now, we really need to change it in order to endure what's going to happen soon." Gaara looked at the horizon while frowning, "A storm is approaching and I have a feeling that this war is not going to be like the others. I just hope that we are ready when it strikes."

 _'Oh, you don't even know half of it...'_ Though Naruto remembering carefully those visions of his past. He too, looked to the gray horizon and recovered his usual grin while putting his hat back n his head, "A shinobi is someone who endures," He said while caressing the necklace's gem, " And that's what we are going to do, but this time, not on our own."

"You're right, as always," Said Gaara sighing, "But at the end, you have acquired what you were looking for since the beginning, so I'm not that surprised that you are like that now."

"Yep, it was pretty much a prize paid in blood, sweat, tears, and ramen." Answered Naruto, "At the end, we both managed to prove ourselves in the eyes of our respective villages.

"Always the charisma," Stated Gaara before putting his own hat and walking towards the building, "Be sure to never drastically change Naruto, a lot of people would be upset if you do." Said the Kazekage before disappearing in a swirl of sand leaving his fellow redhead alone in the terrace.

The Sixth Hokage Candidate turned his gaze towards the horizon and closed his eyes, letting his Kagura Shingan take over his consciousness and expand, allowing him to look at the spectacle of dozens of chakra signatures roaming the building the surroundings, he easily localized and identified the know-ones while he inspected the structure only to grimace when he came across the chakra residues that completely soaked the chamber when the fight had taken place hours ago against the unexpected guests. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the feeling of a certain well-known chakra to him.

 _'So this is truly what you've turned to, huh?'_ He thought while analyzing the residues with his superior sense, _'You've always been a shadow, one trapped in the light in contrast to me, the light in the shadow. You have strayed too far from the path of redemption and unfortunately for you, I'm not like Ero-Sennin or Jiji, I actually have the resolve to finish off someone like you. So next time we meet, in the bloody battlefield that your master will create, be more than sure that the Whirlpool will brutally engulf the Paper Fan, and that the Fox shall tear the Hawk apart...Wouldn't you agree, Sasuke-kun?'_

 _ **xXx**_

"Hmm, according to Jei's message, Bi has returned to Unraikyō completely safe and unharmed, it seems that Akatsuki sent all their heavy hitters here and ignored his whereabouts." Stated A while marching through the building's exit followed by his two escorts. The Raikage had taken a new robe to cover his heavily muscled torso and now sported seals engraved on his two golden bracers.

"We are to return to Kumo and make our respective preparations for it" Ordered the Hidden Cloud's leader getting nods from his two subordinates.

"Boss, I think I'm gonna need a new sword here," Drily stated Darui while pulling out the severed fragments of his cleaver. He once thick blade now lied broken beyond all possible repair, the consequence of trying to go toe-to-toe with someone whose control over Raiton was deemed almost godly.

"You think?" Remarked the blonde kunoichi at his side, "Uchiha Sasuke's usage of the same jutsu than the Kopi Ninja its far more superior than its creator, even a skilled Fuuton user would have trouble dealing with him." Said the kunoichi, recalling how the Kazekage's sister had almost been decimated against the Last Uchiha hours ago.

"Yeah, hard to believe that the brats are stronger than us at their age," Replied the white-haired man, "I liked him better at the Chūnin Exams held in Konoha years ago, at least there, they were chūnin level at best."

"Sandaime-sama always said that the new generation will always surpass the old one." Offered the woman before a feline-like grin took over her features, "You are not sore about being defeated three times from brats from this generation, right?"

"Nah, it's just disturbing to see how strong they get these days." Replied Darui with a shrug.

"You may find another blade in the forges." Answered this time A with a grunt, "Or even better, take advantage of this alliance to obtain one from the Hidden Mist. Their blades are only slightly surpassed by the ones crafted here."

"Got it, boss." Said Darui while folding the severed remnants of his cleaver and placing them at his back, _'Next time, I will strike him with my Kuroi Kaminari (Black Lightning)'_ He mentally swore.

"And Yugito does have a point." Suddenly continued the Raikage surprising both his subordinates, "Darui, this generation is going to be in the frontlines of something not seen before, they really need to be strong if they want to survive it." Sentenced Kumo's leader.

"Umm, Raikage-sama," Yugito said, "Doesn't it bothers you that one of them almost managed to severely injure you? I mean, he wasn't much of a runt three years ago and now he is capable of going toe-to-toe with a Kage."

A gave an amused snort, "He still has a long way to go, and don't forget that if not for another one from this generation, the Hokage, I would had to sever my right arm when the Uchiha tried to burn it with his hell flames." He said while pointing to said arm.

"Well, the fox boy was always one of a kind." Shrugged Yugito remembering something, "Who would have thought that the nameless boy that stood for me against the Zombie Duo and managed to fend them off on his own would end up becoming the next Fire Shadow?"

"Well, at least he is way better than the Uchiha as a person." Grumbled Darui with a nod ignoring the Nibi's Jinchūriki snort.

"You didn't saw him cut through an entire Amegakure regiment like a hot knife through butter." Answered Yugito with a snort, "But you saw him giving the Uchiha the beating of his life a few hours ago while killing two of his subordinates like flies. He can be pretty ruthless when he wants to."

 **xXx**

"An attack on the Kage Summit? The boldness of these Akatsuki knows no limits," Grunted Ōnoki as he floated above the ground before landing in front of the towering figure of Akatsuchi. "In my days, not even the Zodiac or the Way of Jashin would have dared to something like this."

The elder Tsuchikage was not particularly happy, noting how his reserves of chakra had diminished markedly after the fight against his former pupil in which only his experience and his Kekkei Tōta had helped him to stay ahead and demonstrate the reason he remained as the most powerful shinobi of Iwagakure despite his advanced age.

"I very much doubt that something like this would have happened in your time, Gramps" Kurotsuchi added at his side. The black-haired kunoichi kept her arms crossed while she kept pace with her grandfather, in her face remained the same grin as always, especially taking into account that a few hours ago she had managed to kill one of the Akatsuki and face her former fraternal figure in open combat, thus leaving a great impression on her abilities among those present. "A rebellion on such a scale is something unique, isn't it?"

"Not so much." He responded to the Third Tsuchikage as he hurried slightly, "The Land of the Sky tried to do something similar during the Second World War, but Sarutobi and I took care of dealing with that problem, and boy, we did it quite right, even the Salamander joined us at that party."

"But now?" Continued Kurotsuchi, "We face a coalition of villages with some that equate our military as well as powerful and terrible shinobi, and led by a monster capable of destroying a country on its own."

"Hmm, not even all of that is a match for our combined power Kurotsuchi," Ōnoki replied with a smirk, "How do you think we stayed at the top of the food chain for so long? I assure you it wasn't because we were weak."

The pink-eyed kunoichi could not help but roll her eyes to hear the words of her grandfather, 'To think that I sounded like that before Haku-san remarked that earlier' Thought Kurotsuchi with a mental frown. Truly now she could see where that arrogance would lead them.

"I'm surprised you agree with this, you'd normally be planning a plot so Iwa gets the bulk or something to weaken the rest." Kurotsuchi continued, "I would not be surprised if you looked for a way to get Kumo to lose the Hachibi and Konoha, Naruto."

And much to the Kamizuru's surprise, Ōnoki snorted. "In these moments it would be too early to play that game, to whom will we go if there is no one left standing?" Rhetorically asked the Tsuchikage.

Kurotsuchi raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Another of the walking examples of the effects of the famous Tōku no Jutsu (Talk Technique) that certain red-haired Hokage had used several times in the past. The truth is that if there was hope in a future where relations between the Big Five were not so tense. Those thoughts brought a smile to her face, a smile that widened when she realized something.

"Gramps, you're becoming soft, who would have thought it?" Taunted the Lava user with her characteristic grin,"I wonder what the other fossils would say in Iwa, perhaps you should consider handing over the hat and giving it to me?"

"Heh, you can calmy breath Kurotsuchi," Ōnoki replied with a grin of his own, "You don't have to worry about the idea of having to fight your boyfriend." Teased Ōnoki noticing the blush on Kurotsuchi's face.

"S-shut up, it's not like that." Replied Kurotsuchi trying to hide said blush and failing.

"Yeah, it's not like that." Muttered Akatsuchi under his breath, "It can not be more obvious."

"Heh, and that's why I'm still the oldest Kage alive, from both great and minor villages alike ..." Said Ōnoki before getting quite a familiar feeling on his back that ended up releasing a painful shock. His eyes widened before he shrieked.

"MY BACK!"

 **xXx**

"Ara?" Mei asked while she heard Tsuchikage's shriek from the other side. Not even Kirigakure's eldest citizen, who had been around since even before the Hidden Village's foundation had those problems. "One would think that a man like him would have abdicated a long time ago." Despite his immense power, he is limited by his age. I'm sure that even Fushoku Terumi wouldn't have kept the hat if he had reached that age. "

"It can't be helped, Mizukage-sama," Haku answered. The last of the Yuki now carried a leather strap with two scrolls attached and despite the cold weather, he looked completely fine. A side-effect of his Hyōton prowess.

"According to Kurosuchi-san, one of the current Akatsuki members, used to be a student of the Tsuchikage, before his obsession with his 'art' got to this head and turned him into a then, there's none else qualified to carry the Earth Shadow title, with the exception of the Tsuchikage's own son. " Revealed Haku while caressing his hands.

"Good Haku-kun," Smiled the Mizukage, "I trust you were able to go with the rest of the escorts and give us a good picture."

"Of course Mizukage-sama." Haku replied, "I also took care of keeping Houzuki-kun at bay before the attack, although I'm afraid I was not there to support him when he tried to recklessly attack Sasuke Uchiha on his own."

"Oh yes, speaking of that," Remembered Mei, "Did you recover the Kubikiribōchō's fragments and him?"

A grin found his way on Haku's face while he pointed towards one of the scrolls that held the kanji for **Dantō (Severing Blade)**.

"It's going to need to taste some blood to be repaired, although seeing that some of the barbaric remnants of Madara's reign on Mizu are still on the run, I don't think it will be a problem." Grimly stated Haku while closing the scroll.

"And him?"

Haku grinned again and opened the other scroll before unsealing the contents: a small crystal jar that contained the liquefied form of a very angry Suigetsu Hōzuki who was glaring at the Hunter-nin with eyes that promised revenge.

"The local medics couldn't do much to stabilize him, so I just grabbed this jar and put him there in his jelly-like state." Said Haku gaining some chuckles from the auburn-haired woman and a growl from the white-haired teen.

"I swear, you damn snowman...When I get out of here I'm so going to kick your-"

"Hush, Hōzuki-kun'" Said Mei with a hand gesture, "Save the energy for later. You and the rest of the Swordsmen will have to run a few errands in the Southeast. It seems that some of the former 'Loyalists' alongside the Hydra division are posted there, loyal at the Masked Man." She said with a particular distaste on her voice.

"Oh, will Kirigakure-kun accompany us there?" Asked Haku, "Despite not being among the Swordsmen ranks, he is still the fastest of our generation, and probably the stron-" He said before being interrupted by Suigetsu's snort.

"Only of Kiri, I'd like to see how he fares against that bastard of Sasuke or the Kazekage on combat, or even worst, against Naruto."

"I'm not sure." Answered Mei, who seemed deep in thought about that. "He was busy wiping out alongside Rio-kun and Tsuchi-san the rest of the Serpent's bases on Mizu and **Umi no Kuni (Land of the Sea)**. Some of them are still inhabited by the glorified thugs that are the Oto-nin and the Serpent's experiments. It's a top priority to purge them from our territory before they are used in the war."

"Those are a small number in comparison to Orochimaru's total number of bases. Most of them are scattered across the mainland, but fortunately, they are either abandoned or forgotten, dunno, Sasuke never used anything that wasn't the main ones in Oto no Kuni." Added Suigetsu, "He is probably in that one, if not in Amegakure or in another Akatsuki stronghold."

"Thanks for being useful, Hōzuki-kun," Said Haku while mockingly patting the jar, "It's the lest you can do when you are in that state..."

That actually managed its purpose which was Haku's hobby since four months ago; Irritate the mongrel that had dared to desecrate his former master's grave, even if they shared the same Hitai-Ate, Haku would be damned if he just forgave that blasphemy.

"That's it, when I recover from this I'm so going to kick your ass!" Yelled Suigetsu from the jar, "Not even your bloodline of the Nuibari will spare you. You better start praying, you cross-dressing icecream-maker piece of-!"

However, when he noticed that the jar's insides were more cold than usual and he detected Haku's palm pressed against the crystal with a chakra flow being channelized through it he gulped. Haku's angelic face had an unusual smirk with his eyes closed.

"Umm, did you said something?" Asked the Hyōton user.

Meanwhile, far away from there, in Konoha, a certain silver-haired masked jounin who was sitting at the Hokage's desk stopped looking the documents he was revising and pumped his fist in the air.

"Yes, I have got another one!"

Haku felt a shiver run down his back. _'Why do I have the feeling that someone I really dislike is having a good day?'_ He thought before shrugging off.

Suigetsu just groaned, "Why I didn't think about rejecting that proposal back then? I could have just slipped from Taka's noses and went to a nice place, like the Land of Honey or Moon."

Haku just chuckled while he gave another pat to the jar much to the Kijin no Sarai's displeasure, but both ignored that the Mizukage had stopped dead on her track after hearing their last dialogue.

 _'...Rejecting...Proposal...Honey...Moon...Honeymoon?'_ Thought Mei while a gloomy aura surrounded her, which was detected by Haku who gulped.

"-ven Yuki no Kuni would be appealing, heh, you should move there in the future." Continued Suigetsu before sensing a dreadful feeling of doom behind him. His liquified face turned only to face the smiling face of the Mizukage who closed her visible eye and said in the sweetest possible voice tone.

"Suigetsu, shut up before I kill you."

And in those precise moments, in Kirigakure. A blue-haired man with an eyepatch suddenly sneezed over the documents he was reading causing him to groan. A shiver traveled through Suigetsu's jelly-like body while he and the blue-haired man thought the same thing.

 _'What did I do?'_

 **xXx**

"Damn, it looks like Sasori's going to need more than just arrangements when we get to Suna." Sentenced Kankurō before he sealed the puppet back into its scroll. The black-clad puppeteer sighed again, it seemed that he was ultimately limited to repairing his tools more than usual. "Neither Karasu or Kuroari were spared, hell, who would say that guy was not only alive but that he also had got stronger?"

"Oh, that's enough, Kankurō," Answered Temari adjusting her Tessen. The blonde had already noticed that her precious tool had not suffered much damage in the fight against that same shinobi and was glad, the last thing she needed was to wait for its fix.

Meanwhile, Gaara adjusted his scarf and began to feel the effects of the cold. Using Shukaku's chakra to warm up and maintain his automatic defense was a bit taxing, especially considering that his Bijū was the one with the smallest reserves among the nine. The green eyes of the Kazekage scrutinized the horizon before narrowing as he clutched one of his fists.

"I'm going to need to gain more power," Remarked the Ichibi's Jinchūriki "Both Shukaku's and my own. I'm going to need it for this war."

"Are you ready to use that bloodline?" Kankurō asked, "I thought Shukaku's chakra would interfere with that." Answered the puppeteer. Two variants of the same Kekkei Genkai in a single body were something almost unheard, also taking into account that one of them came from a Bijuu while the other was a genetic inheritance, it was obvious which of the two was the most dominant.

"Fortunately, we know someone who is an expert in chakra manipulation and sealing chakra sources. Let's not forget that only with a few residues of this chakra and others, he managed to recreate at a certain extent other bloodlines and advanced chakra natures before developing some techniques under his absolute control." Gaara replied, "I'm sure Naruto is more than capable of helping me to take control of it, or in the worst case, of dealing with Shukaku, after all, it's not like he hasn't done that before."

That last one made Kankurō laugh, "Ah, good times. He summoned a fucking giant salamander who burned the fat raccoon's ass and stopped him momentarily before he pierced it with his chains. Then, he jumped to the head and kicked you until you woke, good thing that he had a parachute sealed in that portable shinobi store that he carries around in his scrolls. "

"Don't forget that when we tried to reach them we were surrounded by the rest of Konoha's genin and two Kage Bunshin knocked us out before we realized. Don't tell me that doesn't count?" Temari added clearly remembering Kankurou's face when they woke up in a cell, with a heavily sealed Gaara.

"I think that's when you noticed the other redhead." Teased back Kankurō with a smirk, "Who would have thought that you would end up going after the one who practically defeated you twice during the Exams?"

"Hm, as if you would have done it better, do I have to remind you that the Aburame wiped the ground with you?" Replied Temari repressing her past blush.

"Enough, both of you." Said Gaara, "This is not the time to argue about past grudges, in Suna you can spar all you want, but here you need to act like bodyguards."

"Yes, Gaara." Said the two.

 _'I also need to increase my chakra reserves, just in case Shukaku's chakra is not enough.'_ Thought Gaara while looking at the moon, _'If I want to completely control the dessert, I will need the chakra for it.'_

 **xXx**

 _"Just like the descendants of the Sage, you two will also fight for the Power of the Six Paths. It's in your blood, it's in your chakra,"_ Naruto muttered as he walked down the aisles toward the exit. The Hokage had put his hat back on while he closed his eyes, depending on his sensory ability to keep walking without fear of stumbling. He continued advancing only giving brief nods to the samurai who bowed their heads in respect, being one of the leaders of the five large hidden villages and one of the most influential shinobi today gave you the respect of the samurai. And the fact that you had protected a few hours ago from the Akatsuki's rampage also helped.

Once, he would have been delighted by that and would have felt complete, but now that he knew the other side of the coin of his goal at first hand he had other (Read: more ) important things to deal with, even his own personal projects could wait, oh statue.

 _"You have awfully spent a lot of time sleeping in your laurels while oppressing those under you, using their lands as battlefields in which your forces face each other without caring for the desolation they sow in their path. A limit has been traced in these abuses and now those who were looked down for years are finally together, against you... "_

Naruto continued accurately repeating the orange swirl-like masked man's words while he tried to find something more in them than the war declaration, _"The power of the Bijū that we still keep, added to the large numbers of those hidden villages are the keys that will start the biggest war that this world has yet to see. How do you all hope to match that, Gokage? Can you hope to carve your way through this game? Or even better, surrender the remaining remnants of the Jūbi and save yourselves from this massacre. Aren't the Kage supposed to make the decisions that lead to greater good for their villages and by proxy, the countries that they serve? Decide, decide, it matters little for me, the plan will soon be complete... "_

What a bother. The thought that he would be forced to enter the conflict and be in the front -lines. Naruto was not a warmonger like his master in his younger days, but he neither was a pacifist, the redhead was merely upset about the war's true motives, a mere excuse for the Akatsuki to take the rest of the Bij **ū** , hiding their dark ideals under fair proclamations to the smaller villages. Oh well, one harvests what one sows and in those moments, he and the rest of the Kage would need to take care of harvesting those weeds, product of their actions or those of their predecessors.

"Wow, you sure took your sweet time, shit-head." Tayuya's voice interrupted his thoughts. There, near the entrance where he had indicated them were their two bodyguards waiting for new indications. Even with his eyes closed and through his sensory technique, Naruto could detect the chakra fluctuations in Neji's temple, which indicated that the Hyuuga prodigy was already reaching its limit of listening to the 'common language' of the red-haired Tokubetsu Jōnin.

"Heh, you could say that I got lost on the road of life." Answered the Kyūbi Jinchūriki with his signature fox-like grin ignoring the two deadpans that his two bodyguards directed at him.

"Whatever, do we have to do anything else before getting out of this freezer?" Asked Tayuya storing her flute inside her trench coat. "Kami knows that this climate is not fucking gentle."

 _'Impressive, one would think that with your hot-tempered head, you would be able to keep yourself fine here.'_ Thought Neji. When he heard that he had been chosen to accompany the newly elected Hokage candidate to the Gokage Summit he had thought it was a great honor but after seeing who was his partner and how she acted, he could only wonder if Naruto had done that on purpose, especially taking on account that the red-head was probably still sore about the fact that he hadn't been the first of the two to reach the jounin rank almost a year and some months ago. Sadistic fox bastard.

"Eh, yes speaking about that," Answered Naruto before approaching and speaking in a more slight tone, "Did you recover what I asked from that vault?"

Tayuya nodded, "Yeah, the bastard's corpses were still wrapped in paper like fucking mummies, they are sealed inside my Doki now."

"Everything they carried was placed there, with the exception of this," added Neji as he extended a small sealing scroll to the Hokage who quickly examined it sensing the so familiar chakra of his current nemesis. The scroll contained a single seal formed by the kanji of **'Bunshin' (Clone)** although the way it was written didn't like referred to the animated copies that one used in several jutsu, above that, he could see a smaller one that showed the figure of a nine-tailed black fox surrounded by nine figures, each aligned with its tails.

 _'So here's the method of how he managed to do it,'_ Thought Naruto somewhat disgusted and intrigued, something like that seemed to come out from Orochimaru's mind, not from a Sasuke who had barely managed to assimilate the old Snake Sannin's mind together with part of his body, although to be fair, the Uzumaki had a very clear idea of who could be the artifice behind such a creation.

"Kabuto Yakushi has aligned with him then, who would have thought it? Snakes stick together after all."

"Why I'm not surprised? In fact, I think that at this precise moment he is probably the one who is in charge of cauterizing the wounds of that Cocksucker." Continued Tayuya folding her arms.

"Anyway, it's time to retire," Naruto announced before starting to walk towards the exit being followed closely by the other two who were prepared to channel some Fire Chakra inside their bodies so they could warm up a bit, how lucky they were to have that particular chakra nature under their control.

The two Jōnin and the Kage soon emerged from the fortress and met face to face with the inflexible cold that ravaged the Land of Iron. Just thinking that they would have to walk all over that huge snowy plain and other countries to reach the Fire Country made the two Jōnin sigh and even feel the pain on their feet.

"What are you waiting for?" Naruto asked, who was now a few feet away from them and not far from the cliff. Noticing their expressions, Naruto sighed before running a quick chain of hand seals that ended with the Tiger one before muttering.

"Kyūmen Sowaka: Suzaku no Shu Kanji (Calling of the Nine Masks: Vermillion Bird of the Vermillion Character)"

A sort of dark portal manifested itself within a short distance of Naruto and revealed the kanji for **Shu (Vermillion)** in its center, which illuminated while manifesting the large figure of a type of bird of majestic plumage that had the head covered by a white mask. The bird waved its wings before striking the ground once the portal dissipated, there it turned its masked head towards the Hokage and his two escorts.

"What are you expecting for climbing?" Naruto asked, who, using his impressive agility was already mounted on the back of the Vermillion Bird.

"Wait, you could have brought us flying from Konoha on that, saving us almost a week's journey on foot?"Neji pointed out.

"And you use it until now!" Finished Tayuya emitting some Killing Intent.

But far from being affected, Naruto simply shrugged and stopped them with a nonchalant gesture that made the two jounin remember a certain masked-nin in Konoha that currently served as the Interim.

"Now, now, first, you two fully know well that using one of the Kyūmenjū (Nine Masked Beasts) its too much chakra-taxing, the exact equivalent of a tail of the furball's chakra, did you really expect me to sacrifice that just so that you two could rest your feet a little? " Asked Naruto

"Agh, damn stamina freak." Muttered Tayuya while climbing at Suzaku's back being followed by Neji who was actually reluctant at the chance of flying in the same bird that Naruto once used to freak him out one night.

Once they grabbed the leather straps that were in the back, Naruto indicated through a silent order to Suzaku that he could begin the flight, which made the bird acknowledged emitting a deep cry and waving its wings again.

"I think I'm going to get sick." Commented Tayuya clinging to Naruto's back who merely smirked as he continued to hold Suzaku's reins, who was already flying over much of the snowy prairie beneath them.

"Are we going to go straight to Konoha, or do we have to make a stop somewhere?" Neji asked as he scanned the area with his dōjutsu, Kami knew that Naruto was prone to randomly change his mind although always following a pattern that only he knew and was able to interpret, Naruto Uzumaki was many things, predictable was not one of them.

"No, the course is set straight to the village," Replied the red-head without turning, "We need to make sure the village is completely stabilized and that Keishi's diplomats haven't stuck their noses where they don't care." _'Besides that, we need to make some preparations for our movement against that old fart of Hideyoshi.'_ Thought the Hokage for himself while narrowing his eyes, _'They have spent a lot of time living on their laurels, we are not their servants nor their toys.'_

"Wow, you really aren't a fan of those stuck-up nobles from the capital, are you, shithead?"Asked Tayuya still resting behind his back, "Can't blame you for that though, I doubt that even Mr. Peeker right here can stand them."

It did not take a genius to guess that she was talking about Neji, who just repressed the desire of Jūken'd the red-haired genjutsu specialist to oblivion.

"I know Tayuya-chan, I know," Said Naruto while continuing to direct Suzaku's flight, "But as a Kage, it's my duty to save face in front of them, I cannot let them think that I'm incompetent, especially if I relly too much on the elders and Shikaku-san. " 'And that's not even counting the fact that Madam Shinji thinks that I can be controlled as a puppet, she is just going to upset when she discovers that her so-called great plan is going down to a house of cards.'

"You need to relax a little shithead, you're not so used to dealing with politics and all that stuff," said Tayuya recharging much closer on the back of his redheaded partner so that he felt her breasts firmly against this, which did not seem to bother Naruto at all but made Neji omit to look in that direction while hiding the trickle of blood that flowed from his nose.

"Not now Tayuya-chan," Replied Naruto, "I really need to sort out this mountain of mistakes I've created. I don't think I deserve something like that in the next days and possibly months." He said while sighing, despite being a shinobi and quite pragmatic when the situation required it, he also had some morals and couldn't help but feel wrong about his massive mess.

Neji heard him and nodded, almost everyone in their group knew about Naruto's problem with his tumultuous life regarding partners.

 _'Honestly,'_ thought Naruto still feeling Tayuya on his back, _'Even like this I still feel like a douche, damn Sekigan-Jiji for your emotion suppress training, I would have noticed earlier that my damn charisma and the silver-tongue I inherited from him serves more than to bind people to do my bidding. I really need to sort that thing out before this fucking war starts, I don't want to lose any of them. '_ Thought the red-haired Hokage while looking at the horizon.

He couldn't help but remember words from either distant or close past. The signs of what he had done during his short life, the people he wanted to meet, the things he wanted to do and be told.

 _"You don't need to prove anything anymore. Naruto, you have already reached what drove you."_ Gaara had said.

 _"Warm hope, hope like the dazzling halo of the sun, that's all I can see when I look at you, the warm trail that leads me to you."_ Had said Karin.

 _"When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew. That's what Sandaime-sama recited, while we were just the roots that grow in the dark serving the Great Tree's foundation, but you were always between both: Leaves and Root, light and shadow. Now you carry the Fire Shadow's hat and led the Foundation from the light."_ Had told him Shin in the underground chambers that served as the Foundation's main lair.

All this and many others crossed his mind, but Naruto ignored them when he remembered the last one when he crossed blades against the one that served as his best friend and confidant years before, with whom he had fought several times side by side and had continuously supported. Despite that, he hadn't hesitated to deal with him because the betrayal and other atrocities he had committed, and even less denied the fact that he had tried to kill him in Amegakure before the shit hit the fan and he almost ended up crippled along with five others after facing the overwhelming power of the 'God'.

 _"Despite all this, do you know what is really tragic Naruto?"_ He had said during his last duel, _"Although we are on different sides, we defend different ideas and that we are willing to kill for them, we will always be friends, one way or another."_

Naruto closed his eyes and mentally sighed, _'We really are cursed like that, I fucking hate Fate and its derivates, but to think that both of us were shaped and molded to the desire of others in different places seems fitting. Him as the shade in the light and I as the light in the shadows. The Yin and the Yang.'_ He thought before caressing another of his rings, _'And to think that I still have a long way to go if I want to avoid 'that.'_

All the things he had said before were not exactly true, he still had not accomplished his main drive, not exactly his original but the one that had shaped him towards the man he was today. One path plagued with hideous visions of red wastelands where the dead drowned and the red moon's light illuminated the earth while that thing emerged from the blood ocean.

One in which the spiral manifested again as the insignia of that apocalypse according to the whispers of the dead and the warnings of the Death God. But nowadays the world was more complex than the one he had imagined in his childhood, not even the visions of the seal of the mask containing the remnants of his clan had been able to offer him a perspective so varied and sufficiently clear, however, what they had given and was within him had been more than enough to allow him to advance.

All this, added to the skills that he had acquired along the way on his own and under the direction of the Foundation, had served him. He had gone a long way and achieved several things in his life, he had met many people and changed lives in one way another. He had lost several things and suffered enough, but all that, good and bad was his, and he would not exchange it for anything.

He was going to protect them all from that red nightmare and that vortex of chaos and destruction that was approaching from horizon, he was going to fulfill the dreams of his predecessors and surpass them all, he was going to change what kept all of them trapped in a cycle of endless violence, and he was more than ready to crush those who had begun a ruthless hunt against his own kin and end them for the greater good. His blue eyes were fixed in the direction where he knew that Rain Country was located, where the gray fortress that was Amegakure lied, the main bastion of the one he had completely crushed and taken out of the commission, demonstrating that he was the sole Whirpool's Heir.

His hand moved to the symbol of the leaf in his hitai-ate and his eyes turned to the sky and focused on moon's silhouette before closing and squeezing one of his fists.

"I'm going to end all that despair, and you all know that I never go back my word," Said Naruto to none in particular, "Believe it."

And the three of them continued on flying on Suzaku through vast grasslands and forests towards Konohagakure.

 **xXx**

Location: Tetsu no Kuni - Mountains' Graveyard.

In a mountainous region located in the north-most region of the land between **Taki no Kuni (Land of Waterfalls)** and **Oto no Kuni (Land of Sound)** , surrounded by a forestry and the bones of many giant creatures that could be seen jutting out of it there lied a fortress as inexpressible as secret.

In its most refractory place, there was an underground chamber where the figure of a giant, earthen-colored humanoid entity with a decayed appearance, a body shaped into a robe, and a number of spike-like protrusions on its back rested. It was a statue. It had nine eyes, of which there were only two completely open, although two others were half-opened.

The statue looked like something horrendous and alien, a stinking aura emanated from its immense mole that seemed to repel all kind of life, somewhat ironic taking into account that the **Gedō Mazō (Demonic Statue of the Outer Path)** was actually asource of it.

The statue was seated in a lotus position, and black chains held its figure to the ground as if the one that had bound it feared the day when it could awaken and free itself from its shackles.

Passing beyond the statue, the chamber extended revealing a platform in which lay a type of bed that seemed to have seen better days, beyond that lied the chamber's wall, from which hung several tools such as a gunbai, a kama, a chain with weights, several swords, giant shuriken and some spare cloaks.

And then, in the shadows, a small table on which a crystal orb rested could be seen, whoever its occupant was, his silhouette was hidden by the shadows.

And there, within the crystal sphere, one could perfectly see the silhouette of Naruto Uzumaki and his two escorts riding the Suzaku.

A hand covered with a glove of the same color of the shadows and with a ring with an unintelligible character step on the glass sphere achieving an increase in the image.

From the shadows, appeared a figure dressed in a black cloak decorated with red clouds with a hood over his head that only allowed to see the strange orange swirl-like mask with a spiral pattern focused around his right eye.

And out of that hole came a faint red light that revealed itself in the form of a Sharingan with the three black tomoe furiously spinning during certain intervals, he was examining the figure of the Jinchūriki of the Kyūbi and now Sixth Hokage of Konohagakure, the young-No, man that so far was close from being the greatest obstacle to the conclusion of his plans.

"So, that's how it starts, huh?" Commented a dark voice that spoke of someone completely consumed by the darkness while his right eye whirled, showing a pattern of three stretched triangles evenly spaced around the pupil that each curve at the top around the eye to form a circle, making it similar to a Fūma Shuriken or a Pinwheel.

A whirling pinwheel of destruction and hatred.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Well, here is the prologue's second part which puts us a few years into the future, as you can see, the thing has changed a lot in comparison to the Canon-storyline. Some clues and spoilers of what has happened are hidden here, some less subtle than others.**

 **I enjoyed writing this but College didn't give me time to upload this, so today, after a month of work, I have finally finished.**

 **Anyway, I don't want to bore anyone with these notes so I'll leave it here, after all, I pretty much explained it in the other prologue.**

 **I would also like to thank all those who have followed this story and supported me with reviews. Seriously, that really motivates one to write. The knowledge that someone enjoys what you created.**

 **Well, seeing that I have finished with the prologue, I will proceed to rewrite the original chapters and from there continue with this route, so hopefully, I will manage to upload more content. Cheers!**

 **-Ezequiel Kirishiki (21/09/17).**


	2. Prologe

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related with both the Anime and Manga, all those are the property of his author (Masashi Kishimoto).**

* * *

 **Path of the Whirling Shadow.**

 **Book I: Whirpool's Heir.**

 **Arc Zero: "The World's History"**

* * *

 **Prologe: Uzushio Akatsuki no Tensei - Uzugamikage no Shinobi Tachiagari.**

* * *

 **Key:**

"Voice"

 _'Thinking'_

"Summoning/Jutsu!"

 **"Summon/Bijū talking"**

 **'Summon/Bijū thinking'**

* * *

 _ **Introduction.**_

 _Lost in the eons of history are the exact origins of the Great War that enveloped the world for centuries. One with whole nations turning against each other in a spiral of interminable conflicts that lasted for whole millennia. Maps were drawn again and again to mark and bury the borders, old and new ones alike as the bloody feuds advanced and continued._

 _Diverse countries, nations, and civilizations were mere victims of oblivion, just like the thousands of men, women, and children_ _that made them._

 _The only enemy of the man, was the man himself and for a long time, it was fine._

 _It was not until the appearance of a seed that fell from the celestial realms when the Era of Men meet its end. A seed that was buried in the soil of a nameless land that slowly started to fed on the essence of the Earth itself._

 _The years passed, which turned into decades, which in turn turned into centuries and these into millennia and the seed had begun to bloom draining the energy of the Earth to continue its ascent._

 _And around it, the bloody battlefields of the men continued to be used, leaving in them the rotting bodies of the fallen ones of which the ravens and other carrion birds were fattened. Entire lakes of blood flooded those fields, until they began to be drained, becoming rivers that flowed into the roots of the tree, who began to prey on the precious and vital liquid which never stopped running._

 _The blood of the thousands of men who perished in the horrible conflicts served as the nectar that would give life to the seed. that divine seed that would grow until it reached an incomparable height, one that any structure that man had created could ever reach._

 _The tree counted with an aurea that it gave off life to all that it reached. The earth became more fertile, precipitation became more common and crops were blessed, even animal life seemed to comfortably surge near the Tree's roots._

 _The men, marveling at what they considered a divine grace, ended up worshiping the Tree, which was given the name of **Shinju (Divine Tree)**. A sacred pillar that extended into the heavens and remained ambivalent to all conflict, it was known that anyone who approached the tree was consumed by a demon spirit and died like a withered branch. And over the next few millennia, it was fine._

 _Every thousand years, the God Tree produced the **Chakura no Mi (Chakra Fruit)** , which human legend holds not to be touched._

 _And so it was until the arrival of the **Usagi no Megami (The Rabbit Goddes)** that all changed._

 _The first and only person to consume a Chakra Fruit thus earning something that had never been seen before._

 _The mixture of physical and spiritual energy formed a new type of energy. Something that allowed the new crowned Goddess to obtain a power that surpassed that of the very deities that Humanity had venerated for millennia._

 _Chakra._

 _A type of highly versatile energy whose uses knew no limits but the imagination of who carried it._

 _Such power that allowed her to end all conflicts and bring men to their knees. Entire armies were nothing to the power of the elements of nature being unleashed in their more chaotic states. Fortresses struck by inexpungable were converted into mere ruins. Whole nations and civilizations were lost in oblivion in trying to oppose._

 _Nothing and no one seemed to be able to oppose her. And with the power that she had obtained, all the conflicts ended by ceasing and for a time, it was fine._

 _Oh, but the power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The self-proclaimed goddess was not exempt from that._

 _The Shinju was an overwhelming source of power, so it could also be said that it was no more than a source of immense corruption, one that was inextricably linked with those who possessed its power._

 _The men soon noticed that they were no longer alone. For the corruption of the Goddess added to the infinite power of the Tree gave light to the horrors that arose from the roots of the primordial entity._

 _Humanity could only watch terrified as monstrous apparitions begun to roam the Earth harassing and attacking anyone on their way. The corruption of the Divine Tree was limited only by the perverse imagination that it had along with the one of the Fallen Goddess._

 _Humanity gave them only one name: **Yōkai (Strange Apparition)**_

 _And they were not limited to a single form; But hundreds of them._

 _Spectral figures lurking in forgotten places. Monstrous beasts with animal-like aspects that roamed the solitary corners. Titanic monsters who acted as they wished. Monstrous trees that took the blood of everything that dared to pass its way. Spectral ladies who appeared in the blizzards attracting lost travelers to secure death. Gigantic columns of water that engulfed everything in the sea._

 _But others continued to appear, causing terror and infinite suffering in the hearts of those who had the misfortune to bump into them. A monstrous and demonic avian creature that ravaged the central regions, in a country that would later be called **Kusa no Kuni (Land of Grass)**. A titanic amorphous mass that descended to the abyssal depths of the ocean to predate the creatures that lived in it as well as the boats that tried to cross it. A demonic abomination that settled in the north bringing misery to the inhabitants._

 _All of them and much more_

 _Some acquired worse forms and more deadly purposes. Others multiplied and continued with their torrent of calamities while Humanity returned its belic roots trying to fight the new threat while the Goddess continued submitting to the Sea of Corruption, which ended with fatal consequences for her former subjects and vassals._

 _Fruit of the corrupt union between the fallen goddess and the divine tree it arose something that not even a million of the Yōkai were able to face and survive._

 _In the new age of endless war, a new demonic beast of titanic proportions now scourged and ravaged the land. The first and primordial demon, it was the epitome of slaughter. A roar from it could scar the earth, forming an abyssal trench. A single stroke of its tail could summon a typhoon that left nothing but destruction in its wake. It had enough strength to pull continents and join them together. Indeed, its existence could be called a signal to the beginning of the end. This was the prime evil. A manifestation of hatred, a creation of destruction, and a lord of terror. It had many names, such as **Kunizukuri no Kami (Nation-Building God)** , the Deidarabotchi, **Ame no Hitotsu no Kami (One-Eyed God)** , but among all names, it was known primarily as the **Jūbi (Ten Tails)**._

 _Despair. It was the most prevalent emotion amongst mankind during the age. They were powerless against the strongest being the in the world. "Why," they cried to the heavens. Pleas to the divine went unanswered. Even resolve to sell their souls were ignored. They were alone in the fight, against the colossus creature._

 _But then._

 _Hope._

 ** _"I am the one who will establish peace and order."_**

 _It was the radiant emotion that rose when a priest with supernatural powers came forth. Known as the Rikudō Sennin, he eventually confronted the deadly beast, their battle carved into the annals of history. The flare of chakra could be felt even from across the continent. Storms of fire fell from the skies and crimson lightning flashed in the battlefield. Chakra clashed ... in a battle to decide the outcome of the world, be it destruction or a battle of epic proportions that lasted for ten arduous days and nights, the priest managed to barely defeat the beast and seal it within its Body._

 _He was heralded as a hero..._

 _As the Savior of this World._

 _Continuing on to use his wisdom and power to bring the world to peace, he spread his ideals and religion amongst the people, teaching them how to use chakra, forming the Shinobi Sect, the primordial form of what is now Rikudō Sennin hoped to bring peace to the world via the Shinobi system, but it only contributed to the seeds of war that were sown in the deepest nature of mankind._

 _For absolute power corrupts absolutely. And no one was the exception._

 _Far from using the new gift bestowed, humanity only continued with its belic race to a new scale. The war again consumed the World, except that this time, men already had the means to face the threat of the Yōkai, as well as themselves._

 _For centuries countless family groups joined the struggle. Whether for territory, resources or just because of it._

 _The borders of nations were drawn and rewritten several hundred times as a result. Countless records of peoples and civilizations were lost in the sea of blood and fire that enveloped the battlefields._

 _Family clusters were called Clans, whole families who dedicated their lives to the Arts of War or better known as Shinobi Arts. Dozens of those clans were formed in most countries to become true mercenary forces at the service of the highest bidder._

 _Over time, some clans began to distinguish themselves from others having several characteristics that made them different._

 _ **Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limit)** was the name of the genetic abilities passed from generation to the next one. Bloodline skills among some clans and even people. Special abilities impossible to perform by others who did not share the same blood. Wicked tongues claimed that these mutations had appeared as a result of procreation between humans and Yōkai as well as their offspring, which now carried in their veins the blood of the monstrous creations of the Rabbit Goddess and the Divine Tree._

 _From advanced elemental manipulation to the appearance of eye powers. The Kekkei Genkai became incredibly prized for the Shinobi Clans and ended up being an advantage over those who did not have special blood._

 _But that was not all. Other clans, viewed with suspicion and resentment as those who had the special blood reaped victory after victory and devised the perfect tool to compensate for the lack of that seemingly unattainable power for them._

 _Through selective and systematic extermination, selective breeding, and even experimentation with Yōkai, the ideal tool for those who had not been born with the blessing of the genes emerged._

 _The **Hiden (Secret Tradition) ** were techniques created by mysterious methods that included research and experimentation on both Yōkai and people who possessed a bloodline. These special techniques allowed its users to manipulate several concepts that could not be reached by normal means._

 _The dozens of clans that managed to develop and eventually acquire these techniques became powers that rivaled and could even surpass the bloodline-wielding clans._

 _Then over the next few centuries. Hundreds of Shinobi clans faced each other at the service of feudal lords and warlords alike in an eternal dispute that took the lives of most of the ones involved in the same conflict._

 _Nothing had changed since before the days of the reign of the Goddess Rabbit. Humanity continued to consume itself in a perpetual cycle of blood and death, only now with skills and monsters in the mix._

 _The Clans continued to grow in power and influence, and soon the most prominent in the arts of combat began to be named. True warrior families that settled in certain countries that denominated like their areas of operations._

 _But some quickly entered into a conflict outside of the business with their neighbors, resulting in legendary rivalries._

 _In the Northwest, in the mountainous regions of **Tsuchi no Kuni (Land of Earth)** , the Kamizuru Clan remained as the sovereigns for a time after defeating their rivals who received the humiliation of seeing their name and legacy snatched and torn to oblivion._

 _In the Northeast, in the stormy plains of **Kaminari no Kuni (Land of Lightning)** the Yotsuki Clan, a family of hard-fought fighters, led countless battles against the equally ferocious Washū Clan and also the enigmatic and sinister members of the Chinoike Clan without any clear winner._

 _In the Southeast, in the tropical forests of the humid archipelagos of **Mizu no Kuni (Land of Water)** , the Bloodthirsty Hōzuki and the vicious Shikorae Clan fought dozens of battles against the many resident clans of the islands that dyed the water with the same color than the blood spilled in the cruel combats._

 _In the Southeast, in the arid sands of the great sea of dunes that was **Kaze no Kuni (Land of Wind)** , the Kazekage Clan stood as the most influential after defeating the few opponents that had, among them the not so remembered members of the Shirogane Clan._

 _And so on, in lesser countries the names of more and more clans were raised, many of them feared and respected for their skillful Shinobi arts skills or at least in the branch in which they had specialized._

 _But in the middle, in the thick of the forests of **Hi no Kuni (Land of Fire)** , many renowned clans once fought in favor of the influential feudal lords and nobles of that country as well as others._

 _Clans like the Hyūga, who claimed to descend from the Moon itself, the Nara, masters of shadows and strategies, the Sarutobi, skilled in the use of Bōjutsu and many others of equal importance._

 _The great nations were not the only ones with prominent shinobi clans. The smaller countries also had many of these as their endemic forces._

 _The F_ _ū_ _ma Clan of **Ame no Kuni (Land of Rain)** , who were the artifices of the homonymous shuriken and were expert in their use. The Shiin Clan of the **Ta no Kuni (Land of Rice Fields)** , famous for their prowress in the area of Genjutsu and even the Muutsuki Clan of **Cha no Kuni (and of Tea)** , outstanding hitmen ever._

 _But among all those names and all of the Shinobi World, only two of them reached an almost incomparable level and influence._

 _The Senju Clan also called "The Thousand Skills Clan" and the wielders of the **Sharingan (Copy Wheel Eye)** , the Uchiha Clan._

 _Both clans were powerful in their own right and recognized were the strongest of all existing. Their progress in the battles was almost incomparable and few were the ones that could face them on their own._

 _When one side contracted the Senju Clan, the opposite contracted the Uchiha and so it was for centuries in which both clans faced one another in battles that had nothing to envy to the vicious onslaughts of the clans of the Water Country._

 _Until they appeared. Two scions of the most feared clans of all the world._

 _Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha met as children, unaware of each other's identity. They quickly became friends, bonding over the deaths of their brothers, their desire to protect their remaining siblings, and their dreams of a peaceful world where children wouldn't need to fight._

 _Hashirama and Madara eventually learned who the other was, preventing them from continuing to meet under friendly circumstances. Over the following years, the two regularly met and fought on the battlefield, with each in time becoming the leader of his respective clan. Hashirama attempted to use their new positions to broker peace between their clans at long last, finally achieving the dreams they'd had as children. Although Madara was tempted, the death of his last remaining brother, Izuna, committed him to continue the fight. Other Uchiha, however, found the prospect of peace tempting and started surrendering to the Senju in growing numbers. With his support running out, Madara made a last stand against Hashirama and the Senju and was summarily defeated. From his defeat and Hashirama's willingness to give his own life to stop the bloodshed, Madara was convinced to accept the peace proposal._

 _The allied Senju and Uchiha formed a pact with the Land of Fire to allow them to establish a shinobi village within its borders, what would be called Konohagakure. Other clans wishing to share in the new peace settled in Konoha as well, the Shimura and Sarutobi clans being amongst the first. Other clans in other countries, fearful of the combined might of the Senju and Uchiha, created their own villages. Thus was the Warring States Period brought to an end, replaced by the Shinobi Organisational System of the Five Great Shinobi Countries._

 _The tense period of eternal conflicts was merely replaced by a slightly more lenient one, but that never ended by hiding the true reason why the apparent 'Peace' had arrived._

 _Because of Fear._

 _Fear of the Uchiha-Senju coalition. Something that even the proudest and fierce clans were wary and forced them to lock truces and adopt the same model. In each country, out of the other four large or minor, the new system of Hidden Villages began to spread._

 _Founded by the Kamizuru Clan, **Iwagakure (Hidden Rock)** was established in the Land of the Earth. By a coalition of minor clans led by the Yotsuki, **Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud)** was founded in the Land of Lightning. The very same Shikorae and Hōzuki Clans pact with the Terumi one to subdue all others, creating **Kirigakure (Hidden Mist)** in the Land of Water. And the powerful leader of the Kazekage Clan united all shinobi of the desert thus creating **Sunagakure (Hidden Sand)** in the Land of Wind._

 _Those four together with Konoha became the five great superpowers that would dominate for the following decades the Shinobi World._

 _But that story is already known. Those five were not the only superpowers of the early days, nor were the Senju and Uchiha Clans the only ones feared globally._

 _Our story begins with those, the third and last descendants of the Sage of the Six Ways. The story begins with those whose abilities made them the Third and Last of the Three Great Clans._

 _Known as the **Shi no Ichizoku (Clan of the Death)** , the **Uzushio no Akako (Red Children of the Whirling Tides)**._

 _The Uzumaki Clan._

 _The Uzumaki were a clan of red-haired people located in the island-nation of **Uzu no Kuni (Land of Whirlpools)** near Hi no Kuni's shores. Like their distant cousins; the Senju they too were thought of being descendants of the Sage of Six Paths and inherited the Sage's body, blessing them with a resilient life force; even by shinobi standards and vast chakra reserves._

 _While they hardly took part in fierce battles like their cousins and other clans, the members of the Clan of the Whirpool were hardly a pushover. Masters in the Fūinjutsu (Sealing Techniques), they were able to seal and bind almost everything. From beast to man, passing through objects into unbreakable pieces of ink and paper._

 _They too fought in the Yōkai-Shinobi Wars playing a key role with putting an end to the rule of the monsters over men. Most of the Yōkai meet their end at the hands of the seal masters, who vanished them away only to exterminate them for good. Some shinobi groups also meet their ends trying to disturb them directly, the Hagoromo Clan being the prime example._

 _The soil of the earth ended up soaked with the blood of their enemies. It was even said that the hair of the Uzumaki turned red because the blood they spilled in their battles. Soaked in a beautiful deep or light crimson, forever._

 _For centuries, during the entire Warring States Period, the Uzumaki stayed undisturbed at their island-nation with only their close allies, the Senju as the link between them and the rest of the world. Though occasionally, some members were exchanged with Senju ones through arranged marriages and accords between the two clans which ended with the birth of powerful shinobi that were said to be vastly superior to even the Uchiha._

 _During those centuries, the Clan of the blood-colored hair was dedicated to their experiments and investigations, something that never shared with anyone but them._

 _Blessed with a special chakra, the Clan of the Whirling Tides studied the energy itself for a long time, not content to use it by means of Hand Seals and even by the Seals they created. Not even the numerous techniques that emerged as a result of their research seemed to satisfy them._

 _Not content to study the living. They turned their eyes to the darkest and most secret arts that the Shinobi World had seen._

 _Their title of **Shi no Ichizoku (Clan of the Death)** had never been wrong. Because after numerous tests and experiments, the Uzumaki created the most deadly technique possible. A technique that would make them as feared as their cousins, the Senju or their rivals, the Uchiha all over the Shinobi World. A technique along with other derivatives that caused terror in the battlefields._

 _Even after the end of the Warring States Era, they were still feared throughout all the world._

 _Far from being held back, they embraced the new system turning one of their ancient compounds of their country into **Uzushiogakure no Sato (Village Hidden Amon the Whirling Tides.)** , which turned into the unofficial 'Sixth' superpower of the Shinobi World._

 _When they allied themselves with Konoha, the aura of fear against them only increased._

 _Fear was always the cause._

 _Not even when the Five Great Nations received the titanic chakra beings that were the Bijuu could breathe easy knowing that both Uchiha, Senju, and Uzumaki now fought side by side and saw their fears confirmed when even though in spite of all the peace treaties, the First Great Shinobi War begun._

 _Everyone knows that it was the war that defined the limits of the territories and the role of the food chain among the villages. It is also known that it was the most brutal of the three wars, one in which all the respective Kage of that generation perished during the conflicts that watered the fields with blood and dyed red water._

 _Konoha stood as the winner with the rest behind. Not even to have lost the Second Hokage; Senju Tobirama had affected them at all. On the other hand, the rest of the villages took care of never to face the great alliance of the Leaf and the Whirlpool directly, especially when they were united._

 _Fear was the cause of their downfall._

 _It was the cause when in the midst of the Second Great War, nearly twenty years later. All of the Great Five but Konoha banded together to wipe them out in a battle that turned red all the water of the country and the sea alike. With pools of blood all across the country with the remains of defenders and invaders alike drowning in them._

 _Konoha could not do much to help its allies, especially when she was stuck in an immense conflict in the center of the continent with enemies no less terrible than those who were attacking Uzushio. Monsters among shinobi such as the Third Raikage and Tsuchikage as well as the future Kazekage and the legendary Sanshouo no Hanzou who, despite being in conflict with each other, concentrated much of their forces in attacking those of the Leaf, which were lead by the chosen successor of Tobirama: Hiruzen Sarutobi, who during the war had demonstrated the reason for which he had inherited the title of **Kami no Shinobi (God of the Shinobi)** of his late sensei; Hashirama Senju._

 _It was a siege that extended for nearly three months. Three months filled with despair and death, until that night._

 _The moon itself was red that night, and its light illuminated the bloodied remains of the once feared clan and the former inhabitants and defenders of the island. So red, just like the hair and the eyes that they bore._

 _But the invaders didn't escape unharmed. The Uzumaki never lost their killing instinct and belic warfare. Despite their more research-oriented nature, they never lost their adept shinobi skills since birth. They also brought death towards their executioners in the form of the shinobi arts they wielded._

 _Suna-nin suffered gruesome deaths at the hands of the seal-powered mechanisms that were given birth by the Uzumaki's ingenuity. Kumo-nin where cut to shreds by the lethal blades wielded by the crimson-haired clansmen. Kiri-nins learned that even if they came from Water Country, they hardly were the only masters of the Suiton (Water Release). And the Iwa-nin learned that Explosives were hardly unique to the Hidden Rock village as a weapon._

 _The very same **Nidaime Kazekage (Second Wind Shadow)** fell in that battle while covering the retreat of the last of his men who despite their leader's sacrifice, never managed to reach the shore. The Sandaime Mizukage nearly died there and only his unique variant of the bloodline of his clan allowed him to survive the carnage along few of his men. The Kumo contingent, which included the remains of the infamous **Kinkaku Butai (Golden Horn Force)** weren't that lucky, they only found a single thing on that island._

 _Death._

 _Only a few of the Kiri and Iwa-nin managed to escape that hellhole with their lives and few remnants stolen from the unquiet graves of the place but eventually, all of them were eventually reached by death._

 _Death was the only thing that remained in the once glorious island, dressed in crimson red, just like the blood rivers that flowed through the soil carrying mountains of corpses of the fallen and the crimson light of the moon above the carnage._

 _Red was all that remained, a red death waiting in the island slowly covering the unquiet skulls while the blood continued to flow through the soil. How ironic that many of the Yōkai that the Uzumaki had exterminated or sealed for their experiments would soon spread to what was once their most sacred temple._

 _Red was the last color they saw before being devoured by the very same thing they prayed to and their corpses only served as fodder for the new bloodied soil illuminated by the moon._

 _And in that Red Moon where three black tomoe engraved._

 _It is said that from the ocean there was a bloody fog that completely enveloped the island, that the multiple whirlpools that gave its name to the archipelago increased its intensity, making the pass impossible. Those phenomena and others, caused that the location of the island was lost completely._

 _Was that the complete end of the legacy of the Whirling Tides?_

 _Centuries of taming and binding death to their own purposes through the power of seals borne fruit at the end. Through their near-mythical skills, the most skilled of the clan engraved a whirling will to be transmitted through blood and chakra. Sealed and entrusted to the only being that the Uzumaki could trust. An entity from beyond all realms that gave form to the ultimate concept, the one who consumed the souls of the wicked ones. Something that all men and women, even the Yōkai feared alike._

 _The memories and will of the whirlpool were now stuck; sealed away in the last of their remnants._

 _Overseas, in the heart of the ones who would never dare to lift a single finger against Uzushio. Carried and silently recovered, it stood at its place with other twenty sisters patiently waiting._

 _The mask that contained the wicked and foul formulae capable of summoning the very same Death God. The ultimate instrument and once one of the Trump Cards of the Uzumaki Clan. Disguised as an ordinary Hannya Mask but with the power of using like a mere puppet the Destroyer of Worlds._

 _It merely waited and waited._

 _Whether it was an old or young man or woman, whether his or her heart was filled with kindness or hatred, whether he or she was bright or dense, it was all irrelevant. The blood of the whirling tides was the only key for the will to be unlocked, it was going to be passed through it after all._

 _Even if it contained memories and images, which said a lot more than mere words, it also had a few words on it that formed a message._

 ** _"Adapt like Water, stand still like Earth, illuminate like Fire, strike like Lightning and rise like the Wind. Change like a Whirpool and endure like a Shinobi."_**

 _The thousand gaunt voices of the deceased Uzumaki clansmen and women screeched from the seals of the mask, their eyes devoid of life and craving for acknowledgment, but something else was said by an older voice, from hundreds of years from then, it announced from beyond death._

 ** _"Take and adapt, rise and fall, live and die. Avoid like a plague the One-Eyed. Endure the Serpent, the Dawn, and the Past. Live in the shadows or in the light. Sit upon the throne of the men or destroy it by whatever all means."_**

 _It contained knowledge, clues that said where to find more of it, how to use it and where to search for even more. But knowledge is power after all, and power corrupts._

 _Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and none had been the exception since the days of the Rikudō Sennin._

 ** _"Remember the Day of the Red Moon's Tides. Take retribution of the kind that thou desire. Strive for the throne of the men built upon heavens or earth. Became the symbol of godhood beneath the realms of despair, whirl around for your own purpose."_**

* * *

 _ **Path of the Whirling Shadow.**_

 _Location: Konohagakure no Sato- Park._

 _(Four Years after the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox's Attack.)_

 _It was a nice, warm and sunny day out in Konoha, and there was not a cloud in the sky. It was really the perfect day to be outside, especially for all the children cooped up at home. The younger groups were out on the playgrounds, kicking ball, playing tag, hide-and-seek, and all manner of fun that they would normally do out on a day like this. It was literally a cauldron of excitement brewing in the parks._

 _For everyone, except for him. A boy with blond hair and blue eyes with strange whisker-like marks on his cheeks sat near the trees. His gaze seemed to be filled with understanding as he watched as some children protested before being drawn by their parents who gave him dry looks._

 _To Naruto, it was a familiar sight seeing kids running away from him or being dragged away by their parents, but for whatever reason, he had no idea why. Was he sick? Was he scary? Was he hideous? Was he a bad person? To a kid only five years old and incredibly impressionable it certainly seemed that way. What else was he supposed to think?_

 _He'd heard people's whispers, seen their stares and seen how the villagers acted around him. They were always pushing him away, ignoring him or sneering at his were mostly the parents and the adults. The children naturally followed what their parents were doing and ran away from him… most of the time. Those youngsters who were the exception, the ones that didn't know him, were always nice to him the first time around. But then when he went to see them again to play they either ran away, hid or ignored him._

 _Perhaps the two nice girls he met today would end up like that tomorrow. Perhaps they wouldn't. He wasn't sure, but it was still a very upsetting thought._

 _Upon seeing a couple more potential friends get dragged away from him Naruto looked down at the ground in disappointment. He dropped the ball he was carrying and shoved his hands into his pockets dismissively, kicking at the earth before following the footpath out of the there was nobody here anymore what point was there in hanging around? He could probably find something else to catch his attention._

 _He looked at the sky only to see how the sun was going down, he sighed, maybe it was time for him to return to his apartment._

 **xXx**

 _Naruto Uzumaki, five years old and orphan. Probably the only one of all Konohagakure who no longer resided in the Orphanage, where he had spent most of his four years of life before Hogake-Jiji brought him out and provided him with home and resources to live on his own._

 _He peaked around the corner of a building to check and see if the coast was clear. He was wearing red shorts and a black shirt with a red spiral. He only saw a few people walking down the darkened streets, which was good for him. He tried his best to keep to the shadows and stay out of sight as he looked for anywhere that would be safe to hide. Despite being treated nicely by a select few individuals, the majority of the village greatly disliked him and he had no idea why._

 _For years he had wanted to know why the villagers looked at him like they did and why he was so hated in the village. Just recently he had resolved to just wander through the village and find things that managed to interest him, none really seem to care about what he did after all._

 _During the previous months, shortly after turning five, Naruto had ventured through most of the corners of the village or at least by those who had access. Those experiences had borne fruit since now he knew some parts of the region but had confidence in memorizing them eventually. When he had nothing to do and almost no one paid attention to him had to occupy his time in something. Naruto was too restless, he rarely tried to be ecstatic and he solved it by moving from one side to another, according to Hokage-Jiji, it was because he had too much energy inside him, but he had never specified why and being sincere, Naruto still had a glimmer of curiosity about it._

 _Speaking of curiosity, Naruto also felt immense about the shinobi lifestyle. Having one of your people closest to the leader of the village helped with that, for he had told him of shinobi exploits of the village in the past and even when he had taught him to read and write._

 _Naturally like many other boys of his age, Naruto was amazed at the feats that the shinobi could perform._

 _Shinobi are soldiers who possess the power to breathe fire, summons gushes of water, and call forth tempests of wind. Crafting hallucinatory illusions with a mere gesture of the hand, and moving at speeds beyond what the normal eye can capture in vision. In another world, they could be called mages._

 _Shinobi. The main military power in a war-torn world, they can be hired to complete any missions in return for a fee. Such missions vary drastically and are thus ranked according to importance and danger from D to A, in an ascending alphabetical order, before being completely transcended by S. These missions can be something as simple as plowing the field to something dangerous as espionage in Hostile territory or murder of a crime lord._

 _Maybe becoming one, Naruto thought he could somehow change his image in the eyes of the people._

 _All this the blonde thought as he continued on his way. He wondered what was on the other side. He'd seen the woods visible from any of the gates but never gone in._

 _Part of him was excited by the idea, but… what if there were ghosts out there? He shuddered involuntarily as his feet turned abruptly to travel around the perimeter of the village. It was a good thing they had those walls._

 _Sometime later, he wasn't sure how long, a drop of wet splattered on his cheek. He brought a hand up to wipe it away, but he felt splashes on his fingers and then his arm as well. Dark clouds had swooped in while he was getting himself lost and threatened to make his day worse. Where the hell was his apartment from here? Picking up his pace, Naruto wandered around, looking for a familiar landmark. Maybe if he got up high, he could see the Hokage monument… but where was his apartment from there?_

 _Grumbling to himself, the rain had steadily increased until fat droplets seemed to be hitting and soaking straight through his white t-shirt. Shelter. He could wait out the rain, but where?_

 _The neighborhood looked old. Mostly small houses. A couple buildings with walls of their own. Walking past one of the walls, he looked through a crack in the large wooden doors of the gate and saw a run-down temple._

 _'Hmm, this is new.' Though the blonde tilding his head a little while looking at the building. The most remarkable feature was the reddish swirl carved in the temple wood. A symbol that he seemed to have seen in the uniforms of several of the shinobi in the village, and who had also been present at the head of his bed._

 _The entryway was half collapsed, so he was sure there wouldn't be anyone there to chase him out. Slipping through the gap, Naruto padded his way across the wide path paved in flat stones. The water droplets splashing on the paving stones would have looked prettier if streams of water weren't running down his bangs into his eyes._

 _"Hello?" No answer. Naruto knew enough to be careful around the old buildings like this, so he tested the boards in front of him, but the place was apparently still fairly sturdy._

 _As Naruto crept through the front doors, a brazier on the wall sprung to life, casting firelight across the chamber. The floor was covered with dust but didn't look as run-down as the outside. Not that Naruto noticed as he clutched the fabric of his shirt over his heart in a tight fist and tried to get his breathing under control. The whole thing was seeming more and more… ghostly... as time went by. And wasn't this an abandoned temple? Naruto strongly considered going out into the rain again, but nothing else had happened since the brazier thing lit itself on fire. Maybe it was ninja magic? He'd seen some crazy things in the village and in Jiji's office sometimes. Yeah, that sounded good. Just ninja magic. Moving on._

 _As sound an argument as that was, Naruto would admit it had more to do with the wall of amazing masks on the far side of the hall. There were dozens of them. He rushed over in excitement to get a better look. Each wooden mask was shaped really cool. Not like the boring ANBU masks he'd seen. This one had a scary smile with fangs and horns coming out its forehead._

 _The mask had a kind of aura coming from this, something that made Naruto feel uncomfortable just to see it. But seeing that nothing happened, the blond only shrugged before reaching for his hand._

 _As soon as his fingers brushed against the surface, a discharge went through his hand and his whole body propelled him to the stairs where he got a little sore._

 _"Auch," muttered the blonde before seeing that in her hand a cut had been opened from which spurred a few strands of blood. "This is about touching things that should not be touched, right?" He remarked aloud as he sucked the blood from his finger._

 _But far from being aware of it, the mask had fallen from its place, and on its porcelain surface had drawn a drop of blood, a single drop of blood that seemed to glow slightly with a beautiful scarlet tone._

 _"Tsk," Said Naruto aloud noticing how the cut in his finger was slowly vanishing. It was not that rare, he had experienced in the past how many injuries healed at a swift rate but Naruto had no desire to experience what the limit was._

 _He preferred to move slowly away from the place, maybe he would investigate it another day and take care of it, he didn't plan to touch that mask again. not even with a stick._

 **xXx**

(A year later, present day.)

 _ **It was a vast field that stretched across the horizon, an ardent and infernal battlefield upon which huge mountains of corpses were piled up, all with their eyes lost in the infinite horror they had witnessed before giving their last breaths, blood streaming from its brutish and festering wounds open to form real crimson torrents that were incorporated to vast lakes that flooded parts of the field.**_

 _ **The ground was tapestry covered by the bodies of the fallen creatures horribly cremated and mutilated, some still clung in vain to the little life that remained to them and that dragged themselves emitting infernal laments that had nothing to envy to them of the demons of the winters. Banners with diverse symbols and crosses burning and broken like stakes were stacked by the field of the festering corpses of victims crossed for them and mouths wide open and empty basins because the eyes had served as grass for crows and rooks, that flew over the field, giving themselves a feast with the bodies of the fallen.**_

 _ **People killing each other, men covered in thick armor wielding huge weapons that were discharged on others, increasing the rhythm of the massacre to the sound of a macabre melody composed by thrusts and wailings of the wounded.**_

 _ **Tongues of fire emanating from the mouths of some being countered by currents of water which were diluted with the lakes of blood which now occupied much of the soil of the field. Earth stakes emerging from this impaling both men and women and furious thunderous discharges that fell on a man's chest until it burst and his blood and viscera went to the men who surrounded him adding their flesh to the grime of war.**_

 _ **At the top of the gigantic mountains of stacked corpses covered with iron and steel and looked up from the height as the sky had become the same color as the earth. Red, everything was a deep scarlet like the shed blood, such a fallen sight, so much death and suffering spread out in the infinite field.**_

 _ **The armies, distinguishable only by the banners that they carried broke against each other perpetuating the conflict again and again. He saw hundreds of men and women fall; Even children, who salted over their opponents and knocked them down on land, stabbing their wombs from where the blood was ejected as if it were being driven by the powder.**_

 _ **He watched as even the mountains of rotting fell and the sea of blood rose by threatening to overflow it and swept it all away. He saw how powerful crimson waves dragged rows of corpses and living who tried to resist in vain. He saw how huge pillars of bone rose from the Fallen's corpses, forming titanic skeletons that with thick and sharp claws grabbed those who could only crush them in their rib cages that opened wide into the ribs, acting like vile bone stakes. He saw trees appear among the corpses while monstrous branches that ended in a mouth with a circular row of teeth absorbed the blood of these until they dried them or if they did with the ponds were formed. He saw how from the corpses emerged monstrous birds that shrieked before flying over the field, he also watched as the foam formed swirls in the bloody sea that now crumbled much of the hellish battlefield with only the burning pillars of stacked corpses keeping in the heights.**_

 _ **He saw in the skies how the clouds were breaking apart, revealing the arrival of the night in which a crimson-colored moon appeared, which seemed to extend once more as its shadow cast itself on the field.**_

 _ **An earthquake shook the earth causing even the mountains to give way and the corpses and iron weapons that impaled them fell towards the red sea that consumed everything.**_

 _ **He waved his arms as he tried to hold himself in vain of whatever was floating as he threatened to sink. His mouth knew it to metal as a result of all the blood it was trying to sleep, but the terror returned and was accompanied by something else, he looks up and there, thousands of kilometers away a massive wave of blood spilled down more mountains of corpses in their wake and behind ...**_

 _ **It was massive, a huge black mass rising from the ocean of blood. Whole mountains were mere rocks on comparison, a crust so thick that nothing could seem to pierce it.**_

 _ **A whirlwind formed in the dense crimson waves, sweeping through the abyss from which the gigantic root rose. If root, because it was only a small part of what appeared later.**_

 _ **A titanic mass of wood emerged from the ocean of blood. The gigantic trunk of a tree towering majestically above the horrid earth; Its roots, fed by the blood spilled and fattened by the rotten flesh. Its powerful branches spread across the sky threatening to break it.**_

 _ **He saw in horror as a titanic petal opened on the top of the tree revealing a monstrous flower whose fringed crimson rose reflected on the moon.**_

 _ **A Red Moon, with nine black tomoe engraved on it.**_

 _ **He felt how the claws of the dead clung desperately to his legs and dragged him towards the abyss and tried to resist in vain only to watch as the tree began to spread and the Red Moon increased its brightness by projecting its reflection on the Earth bathed in blood and death while a primordial mix between a laugh and a shriek resounded from the Sky...**_

 **Present...**

Naruto woke bolt upright from his bed, blinking away his sleep as he stared towards the wall at the foot of his bed. Appearing both baffled and drowsy from the exhausted rings around his eyes, he looked around his room momentarily to reacquaint himself with his surroundings… and to possibly get a handle on reality. Okay, he wasn't at the park, he wasn't in the ancient temple-like building at the village's outskirts, he wasn't in his living room, and he certainly wasn't up in the valleys next to the Hokage Monument.

Soon determining that he was actually in his room and in his bed, he concluded that the events he had been watching through his eyes moments before were merely memories of a bygone time; turbulent, upsetting and filled with brief glimmers of were what shaped his life up to today.

Groaning, Naruto rubbed the back of his head and picked up his bedside clock. He groaned when he saw the time.

 _'Two-thirty? Still too early!'_ He thought to his dismay before setting it back down and giving a yawn.

"Damn dreams…" He yawned.

With that curse made to his own biological clock and his adventurous mind, he then laid down flat and pulled the covers back over his next dreams wouldn't be so stirring…

It had been more than a year since that incident and since then, his dreams were plagued by something similar. He always saw the same, over and over again.

As in bloody fields were fought bloody battles without clear any victor that resulted in real massacres. Sometimes he saw himself as one of the shinobi involved in the struggle, but unable to move his body on his own, other times looked like something invisible overflying the field looking at everything. And there was even one time when he was the thing that emerged from the depths.

But they all shared the same thing. That Red Moon seemed to haunt him somehow. And everything since he'd touched that stupid mask out of curiosity.

Naruto had tried to investigate on his own but had not found anything. By itself, it was difficult for him to infiltrate into the library. Although he had taken advantage of those few opportunities to read a little.

Although his restless nature prevented him from being able to concentrate quickly, the Hokage's words always helped him to move on and over time, he could say that he had acquired a little taste for reading.

The only thing he had managed to find and which seemed to be the only clue had been that the masks and the others he had seen corresponded in design to those of a demon Hannya, which were commonly related to envy and greed. Interested in that, Naruto immersed himself in the myths and legends that were older than the shinobi themselves. He learned about the many gods that humanity had worshiped for several eras as well as the monsters they had feared and who had apparently been defeated by the shinobi centuries ago.

He had also learned about some parts and fragments of the history of the Shinobi World narrated as epic stories. The questioning of the Hokage-Jiji had also helped him, for he had been proud that he was interested in knowing.

The Hokage was old, but also super strong and wise! He had narrated him epic prowess of decades and even centuries as stories for the siesta and he had listened to them fascinated, but now, he had the opportunity to read them on his own.

But for the moment, all Naruto wanted to do was sleep. Tomorrow maybe he would go to the woods under the Mount Hokage or maybe find interesting objects near the Shinobi Training Grounds, which he had long ago spied on with the intention of seeing with his own eyes the execution of the things that he had seen or heard the stories and did not disappoint when he had seen a couple of, Chūnin? Erecting a stone barrier from the ground by means of a chain of hand seals while another created an exact pair of copies from the water of a nearby pond.

He had also sometimes managed to collect forgotten tools that he kept in a wooden box under a pair of planks in his apartment. By the time he had gotten more than twenty shuriken and kunai along with a pair of long and fine darts called senbon, which later he would learn that it was commonly used in countries and regions more humid like Ame or Mizu no Kuni.

With those thoughts in mind. The blond closed his azure eyes and settled in bed to reconcile sleep.

Despite not knowing it. There was something else there.

Something that only a very experienced shinobi or a sensor type could identify, the implanted chakra signature on it. As a noxious aura had stuck by him and a single symbol was recorded on it.

A whirlpool.

 **xXx**

Location: Konoha's Local Library.

Next Day.

 _'Tsk, why do I always have to do this?'_ Though the blonde as she crawled through what appeared to be the ventilation system of the building that fortunately had a safe route.

Naruto crawled cautiously through the metal space and blessed for the tenth time that his body was small, in the future he would have many problems to be able to pass through there, so he had to make the most of it.

 _Yep, here it is'_ Thought the whiskered blonde when he encountered a small slit. With thin strokes, he extracted from his pocket one of the senbon of his apartment and began to force the open slits of the small bars.

Clang!

The slit gave a slight crash as it came off but was held quickly by Naruto's small hands. Who took a long breath and fell on the sofa that was just below.

"Bless the idiot that left this here." The blonde said before getting up and leaving the room. Outside of this one was waiting for a small corridor that led to the section shinobi of the library, the place where there was not that old crone that shared the public opinion with respect to him.

Ironically, the fact that this old witch had not let him in was good enough to take another route.

With those thoughts in mind, the blond moved slowly down the aisle stopping at intervals to detect sound in the distance. Nothing, everything was cleared.

 _'Hmm, I kept forgetting that hardly anyone works this day.'_ Though Naruto when he remembered the date.

The blond continued walking until reaching the end of the hall where there was a small door that led to other stairs that descended to the shinobi section of the library.

"Ah, look," Naruto commented upon seeing the state of the section, "They left the light on."

He sighed to see that everything was tidy, not like his apartment which was a rat's nest but it did not matter, it was not like he spent much time in there.

 _'Well, let's see what I can learn today'_ He thought as he moved through the rows of shelves to the section he knew was used by most genin and chuunin. Naruto was not a complete stranger to the titles of most of the books as he had recognized some of the topics from the previous times he had been there.

Tapping his fingers against the surface of one of the shelves, he pulled out one of the books and blew the layer of dust that covered it, gaining a couple of sneezes as a result.

"* Cough * ... * Cough * ... I hate dust." Muttered Naruto before opening the book. The first page told him the title of it. Shinobi Arts.

Basically, the book was a compilation of definitions and examples of shinobi arts, things that he had heard before but only in order to pass the time he decided to read the same way.

The Shinobi Arts were the mystical arts a ninja will utilize in battle. To use a technique, the ninja will need to use their chakra. To perform a technique, the ninja will bring out and release the two energies of chakra. By forming hand seals, the ninja is able to manifest the desired technique. Because of the extensive number of hand seals and different combinations, there are thousands of potential techniques to be discovered.

There are three basic types of techniques, commonly known as 'The Great Three': Ninjutsu (Ninja Techniques), which was the most nebulous of the three and included many sub-branches such as Kekkai (Barrier) and Iryō-Ninjutsu (Medical Ninjutsu), it also granted the access to most advanced stuff such as the Seishitsu (Nature) and the Keitai Henka (Shape Transformation) , Genjutsu (Illusionary Techniques), which consisted in the creation of illusions and mirages to deceive or hide and Taijutsu (Body Techniques), which referred to any techniques involving the martial arts or the optimisation of natural human abilities. To put it simply: it was hand-to-hand combat.

Other categories existed, including Fūinjutsu (Sealing Techniques), Bukijutsu (Tool Techniques) and others. There were also Kekkei Genkai abilities which weren't exactly techniques, but inherited abilities passed down through certain clans through the blood. Kekkei Genkai can also be attributed to certain parts of the body, such as Dōjutsu (Ocular Techniques).

Without proper control of their chakra, a ninja will produce ineffective or weakened technique which will lead to them running out of chakra early in a fight. To manipulate their chakra more easily, hand seals can be used. With these hand seals, users can control their chakra and technique with higher efficiency. Different techniques require different hand seals.

"Hmm, interesting," said the blonde as he read the part that described the ranges of the techniques as well as the risks that included using them followed neglecting the reserves of chakra one had.

On the other hand also had given a few reads to the issue of how to unlock his chakra, because reading and reading was already a bit tedious and he preferred to start practicing at once. With some luck that would allow him to have a good presentation in the Academy if it came to enter since Hokage-Jiji had said that it was still very soon.

The same thing had been said to him the last year. For some reason, he suspected that it had to do with the resentment that the majority of the population had on him, but that was a matter for another day.

Concentrating, Naruto squinted his eyes while he prepared his fingers to adopt the Ram hand-seal like the book image depicted which consisted in the left thumb on top and the hands vertically together.

Almost instantaneously. Naruto felt a powerful pulse stirring inside him and seemed to run through his body. It felt as if a torrent were flowing inside him and he had opened the floodgates that contained it, albeit on a smaller scale.

Then, he adjusted his fingers again and this time concentrated channeling everything to his hands. Just to see how a pulsation was emitted from it and ended up hitting the shelves causing a couple of books to fall to the floor making no noise, fortunately.

Naruto sweatdropped at the sight since the pulse had forced him to release the hand-seal. _'I don't think that was common, does that has a relation with my 'energy problems'?_

But instead of continuing to think about it, he realized that he had to pick up the books and scrolls he had accidentally knocked over with his chakra pulse, so he bent over to pick them up.

" _Chakra Control 101_?" Read Naruto over his shoulder before placing it on the ledge, "Neh, too early for that." _Genjutsu for Dummies_? Same! "

Slowly, the books began to return to their respective places, not without Naruto reading his titles before, of which none had managed to attract his attention for the moment.

" _Benefits of joining a Shinobi Temple?_ What the heck is this?" The blonde wondered before placing the book in its place. Until that moment he had come across with some extravagant volumes, he even found the little orange book he had seen Hokage-Jiji read when no one was watching.

"Hm, _All Notorious Clans_ by T _obirama Senju_?," Read Naruto aloud when he was about to put the last book in order. "Well, look at that, there's an entire list of those guys here."

It was an old-fashioned, leather-bound book. The handwriting was quite fine and very well cared for, but outside of all that, the book looked a little spartan.

Interested, Naruto sat down to read it before bumping into what appeared to be an index. It contained several names accompanied by their respective symbols that Naruto deduced that they should be the symbols of those clans as well as the pages where the information about it was located.

"Let's see, _Aburame_ , _Akimichi_ , _Amagiri_ ..." He read aloud while his finger pointed out the recited names one by one. " _Hagoromo_ , _Hatake_ , _Hirasaga_ ," The majority were names that in his life he had heard along with symbols also somewhat strange.

" _Kaguya_ , _Kazekage_ , _Kamizuru_ ," He continued taking notice about the colors the characters also had. " _Taketori_ , _Tenbin_ , _Tenrō_ , _Terumī_ , _Tsuchigumo_ , _Uchiha_ ..." At last another known-one, he must have been an idiot to not recognize the name of the most influential and powerful clan of the village or at least, the one in charge of the Military Police Department.

"It has always been pleasant to see the new generations submerge themselves in the sea of knowledge."Spoke a grave voice that caused Naruto to startle and release the book, which went to the hands of a man who looked almost as old as Hokage- Jiji.

He appeared as a frail, old man and used a cane to walk. He had black, shaggy hair, and his right eye was bandaged — Probably to conceal an injury behind. He also had an x-shaped scar on his chin.

He was dressed in a black or dark gray robe with a white shirt underneath. The robe was quite large, covering from his feet to just over his right shoulder. It also concealed his right arm - Another injury, probably.

In short, the guy looked like someone extremely experienced and who literally seemed to have lived through three wars. Ironically, it was true.

 _'Okay, okay, how the hell did he appear to me without me noticing?'_ Though the blond from the ground. Something uncomfortable, he tried to get up and shook off the dust.

"Are you a shinobi?" He asked although the answer was a bit obvious.

The bandaged man only stared at him before his head slightly tilted to the left.

"Oh? And why do you ask that, boy?"

Naruto internally frowned while listening to the grave and neutral tone that the man had. Although he couldn't sense malicious intent coming from him, there was something that made him a bit wary.

"Well, your posture is fluid and yet tense at the same time," Pointed the blonde. "And yet, there is just something that tells me that you have great power."

The man did not answer and merely read the cover of the book. "Ah, _All Notorious Clans_ , written by my own sensei on the eve of the **Daiichiji Ninkai Taisen (First Shinobi World War)** forty-five years ago." Recited the elder looking a bit pleased. "Containing all known date of most of the Shinobi Clans that fight or fought in this world."

"Yeah, suuure." Said Naruto did not really understand anything. "I was just-" he said trying to come with a viable excuse for being there when it was clear that he was not even welcome while also cursing himself for not foreseeing that before.

"So you managed to enter here all by yourself?" Asked the man still looking at the book tape. "Impressive for someone of your age and even without resources nor pointing." There was no approval or disapproval in his voice.

"Yeah," Naruto replied finally finding his voice, "The old lady didn't lend me in, so I just managed to find another way in." Shrugged the blonde almost expecting a scold.

"And didn't you think of asking Sarutobi for help?" Asked the man. Naruto remembered that Hokage-Jiji's real name was Hiruzen, from the Sarutobi Clan before replying.

"Well, I read somewhere that sometimes you need to seek the answers yourself. One of the best things in the world is not being dependent on others." Said the blonde reciting a paragraph he had read out there in an untitled scroll.

"A fine answer," Said the man still reading the book, Naruto noticed that he changed the page. "I have always thought that a shinobi is not only made through readings or lessons in the Academy but through acquired experience after practice."

The mention of the latter seemed to affect the countenance of the blond. "Jiji has not let me enter the Academy, he says I'm too young, but I don't see why not, I mean ..." Naruto continued, "I'll work hard and I know that I'll be good at it."

"Not bad, initiative is a very rare quality nowadays." Commented the man while what appeared to be the ghost of a smirk appeared on his face. "You just need a better route..."

"Huh?" Asked Naruto tilting his head a little. "What do you mean with a 'better route'?"

The man only closed his eye before putting the book on the nearby shelf. "My lips are sealed about your presence here." He finished saying while tapping the floor with his cane and walking towards the door.

"Hey!" Said Naruto,"What do you mean about that?" He asked, but when he entered the hall, the man had completely disappeared.

"Huh? Weird." Said Naruto returning to the room. He looked at the book and noticed that the page was the name of the clan next to the Uchiha, and it was ...

" _Uzumaki Clan_?! ..."

But it was there, at number 44 it could be read Uzumaki Clan perfectly in red characters. Naruto arched an eyebrow and slowly closed his mouth before a fly would stop there.

 _'Page # 44 Also?'_ Though the blonde before heading towards her only to find himself effectively with a page whose title read: Clan Uzumaki. "The Ones Who Bound Death"

Now Naruto was confused. He was an orphan, he already knew. If he had been in the Orphanage, it was the most obvious proof of that, but he had never read a single mention of his family. Uzumaki did not seem to be such a common surname after all.

He thought about the old man of earlier and the fact that he had specifically marked that page. Had he done it on purpose? It seemed impossible for Naruto that the man had not recognized him.

His azure eyes roamed the paragraphs describing the Uzu no Kuni (Land of Whirlpools) Clan. He read as they were the prominent clan of that land as well as distant relatives of the legendary Senju Clan and as both families maintain close ties.

He also read as the Uzumaki's skill with Fūinjutsu earned them both respect and fear throughout the ninja world and how they had remained as close allies of the Senju, even when the former allied themselves with the Uchiha to create Konoha and initiate the beginning of the Hidden Village Era. Followed by the fact that they had even founded their own Hidden Village; Uzushio in their island.

He read about the Uzumaki's body attributes; They naturally possessed incredibly strong life forces, granting them tremendous stamina and vitality. As such, they had very long lifespans and likewise seemed to age slower. This also enabled them to survive and endure much more severe injuries while likewise able to recover from injuries and exhaustion with much greater efficiency in short periods of also had the the ability to quickly heal themselves and others, through consumption of their chakra,which was apparently filled with Yōton Chakura (Yang Release Chakra) or in other words, raw and unrefined chakra used for Medical Ninjutsu.

Naruto gulped when reading that. He always could heal himself almost instantly and he really had a lot of energy to burn. Could it really be possible that?

Nah, of course not. He was just another orphan. There was no way in hell he was related to a Clan deemed as powerful as the Father Clans of his village.

However, most of those thoughts vanished when he noticed what the Clans symbol was: A red swirl emblazoned in a black circle.

A whirlpool.

An identic one to the one he saw in his dreams.

Almost instinctively, Naruto ran his hand over the symbol, making an imaginary stroke over it. The contact with the paper, despite being extinguished, for some reason transmitted some emotion.

"Could it possible?" He asked himself. No, it had to be. There was no other explanation. It was too much for it to be a coincidence. But the question was, how to prove it?

Then he turned his gaze to the red swirl symbol and remember where he had first seen it and also grimaced. He needed to return to that temple.

 **xXx**

Danzō remained impassive when the effects of the Shunshin no Jutsu (Body-Flicker Technique) faded and he found himself in one of the corridors of the neighboring building.

The veteran quietly walked down the hallway with light and calculated steps as his cane was repeatedly knocking against the floor. After a few minutes, he approached one of the walls and passed his hand over it activating a chakra pulse that revealed the extensive sealing matrix hidden behind the wall.

The wall ran a couple of meters revealing a tunnel that stretched in the distance. The last of the Shimura hastened to enter without first placing the same hand on the wall, channeling again another pulse that activated the mechanism moved by seals.

The wall closed behind him, hiding the existence of the tunnel but his expression didn't change at all. He merely walked forward a few yards to a door guarded by two figures dressed in black robes who stood firmly on the spot who bowed and hurried to open the door, allowing him to pass.

Danzō crossed the slit and walked down a new corridor that ended in a suspension bridge of which there was only an emptiness where the light could not reach.

While walking the bridge, Danzō noticed saw one of the nearby rooms, where about a dozen children practiced Taijutsu kata imitating the instructor. He also took notice that in the room next door, where a group was mediated in duels with short blades and without a tip while in a third, another group, this being much smaller was prepared to trace on paper tags delicate strokes with ink for the manufacture of **Kibaku Fuda (Explosive Tags)**.

All products of the Foundation. His best tools to execute his goals and everything for the protection of the Leaf.

Danzō walked quietly until he had completely crossed the bridge and reached the other side where an extensive corridor awaited him culminating in what could be considered his 'office'.

As soon as he got there, one of his operatives went out to meet him. A long black trench coat was his attire with the typical vest with the red stripes underneath. The mask was flat and without any notable features except for the two slits and the character between the two that marked where the loyalty of who had the mask lied.

 **Ne (Foundation)**.

"You know your orders. Merely follow, do not engage and if you encounter something abnormal, communicate with Tatsuna." Ordered Danzō with his neutral tone only to receive a nod in response. The elder tapped the floor with his cane and the operative disappeared in a swirl of humid leaves leaving Danzō alone in the hall.

 _'He only needs a push, to be freed from that cycle.'_ Though the Darkness of the Shinobi. "Hiruzen, I'm going to take the bet you owe me since you left the Namikaze in charge,"

 **xXx**

Now it was one of those days when Naruto was sure that the universe was trying to conspire against him. He was only half a block to the place where he remembered that the temple was located and it had already begun to rain. Damn the weather.

Although he did not mind the water. The fact that he could barely see the whole scene was bothering him, that wasn't counting the fact that he ran the risk of being seen by one of the patrolmen of the Military Police. Agh, while he knew that they were only doing their jobs, some of them could really be so stuck-up.

The blond moved discreetly in the streets hiding behind a corner before checking that there was no one. What would he give for being able to detect people outside his range of vision...

He tilted his head for a moment, thinking that he had heard something but did not manage to see anything in the shadows. Satisfied, he returned to his normal position ignoring the hidden silhouette in the shadows that cursed under his breath for almost being discovered, and by a kid nonetheless!

 _'He has very acute senses for his age.'_ Though the figure hiding in the shadows.

Naruto pricked his ears for a few minutes and when he heard nothing but rain on the ground, he hastened to move from that place. Already recognizing the streets of the abandoned district, what he was looking for was nearby.

 _'Bingo!'_ He thought when the silhouette of the run-down temple was seen at the distance. The temple was still identical, with the proud whirlwind-like symbol, despite being affected by the ravages of time, standing firm as the symbol of a legacy.

 _'I wonder why it is abandoned?'_ The blond thought before entering. Once in the stairs, he noticed that for some strange reason the rain had stopped and sighed while rolling his azure eyes.

 _'Seriously?'_ He asked the heavens. _'Couldn't it stop raining earlier? Not that it bothered me, but that would have been preferable. '_ Groaned Naruto before continuing on his way. It was just as he remembered. The interior was quite dark and the smell very damp. For other people, this could be terribly uncomfortable, but not for Naruto who preferred the humidity in the air a thousand times to dust, that gave him allergy.

His eyes scanned the room before staring at the altar that lay to the bottom.

The structure was identical to that of his memories. A wooden altar placed on top of a kind of podium and on which rested the 27 Hannya style masks.

Despite sharing in part the same structure, the blond could notice that not all had the same characteristics. Some had distinct grimaces engraved on their porcelain surfaces while others had the horns differently.

The blond approached the podium only to notice that one of the masks was missing. He looked to one side only to find it right there; Curiously it was the very same mask he was looking for.

Naruto remembered that he had dropped it a year ago when its single touch had cut him off, but now, he seemed to be prepared. Naruto looked both ways before turning his gaze to the altar.

 _'What should I do? As far as I know, the people who belong to a clan have unique 'chakra'.'_ Though the blond. _'Is it possible that in some way I can make the place recognize me?'_

As he thought that, Naruto walked to the middle of the podium and set his fingers on the Ram seal. 'Maybe this can be of some use.'

Although he could not see or feel it. A wave of chakra began to emanate from his hands and gradually from his body until reaching the mask that remained on the floor. The same seal, activated a year ago with blood, brightened again showing a revival. The eyes of the mask glowed as threads of formulas began to spread across the surface.

Naruto noticed and raised an eyebrow. 'Fūinjutsu?' He thought to look at the formula threads. Being honest, Naruto noticed the fifth connection between him and the information that he had found on that page. Of all the shinobi arts, the information regarding the Arts of the Sealing was the one that had given him the least problems in understanding. Although he had never put into practice anything he had read, he had worked a bit with his handwriting with satisficing results.

Fūinjutsu was a rather intriguing branch. An art that allowed the user to store objects, chakra and even living beings inside another object. It could also immobilize and unseal objects contained in others, but it was apparently only the most basic things that could be achieved ...

Without thinking very well, the blond picked up the mask, noting that the threads of formula had not been detached from it. A familiar tingle ran over his hands as they touched the silhouette of the mask again. Nothing, not a new cut.

 **"Sore o oku (Innung hit on)"**

Naruto thought he heard more than a hundred murmurs whispering that phrase to his ear. But there was nobody else and now that he thought, the mask looked comfortable, maybe it should ...

Without thinking about it, the blond approached his face towards the mask ready to put it on. But just as he did so, he felt a start on his arm and looked, only to see how some of the threads of the formulas began to move to his skin.

 _'What the hell?'_ Naruto thought trying to shake off the scraps only to accidentally insert the mask completely into his face.

Naruto tried to scream but nothing came out of his mouth and in an outbreak of desperation, he tried to wrest the letter from his face only so that a sharp pain ran part of this. He finally stumbled onto one of the steps and fell back.

But as he did so, the formulas that now held him bonded began to glow, showing that a source of chakra was being channeled through the seals that formed them. The threads were lengthened by the energy to reach other seals hidden in the artistic panels that continued to glow.

Slowly, new series of seal formulas were lengthened thorough from the ground reaching the four corners of the building where complex arrays of sealing began to form.

Each one, with the shape of the swirling glow emitting a slight pulse of chakra that ended by molding itself in the form of a kind of barrier that began to emerge around the temple.

The masked operative merely observed what happened with a neutral expression behind his blank mask and activated his sensory technique.

 _'A Chakura Yokusei no Kekkai (Chakra Suppression Barrier)'_ Thought the Root agent noticing that he could no longer sense the chakra signature of the jinchūriki. It was a bit insecure, but he knew its parameters.

The operative approached slowly and detected the invisible barrier with his technique. Without wasting a second, he threw a kunai to the other side watching as it traversed the barrier that suppressed any sensory detection only to see how the blade, once nailed to the ground was immobilized by a pair of rows of sealing formulas.

 _' Fūin Fuda no Kekkai (Sealing Tag Barrier) on top.'_ Though the Root operative identifying the technique applied to the ground. _'It looks like I will not be able to investigate on my own. Danzō-sama should know about this. '_ The operative thought while removing his blank mask revealing a face that belonged to a teenager. He had pale skin that contrasted with his obsidian-like hair, his other notable features were his gray eyes, which were partly hidden behind the spectacles he wore.

Adjusting the microphone on his left ear, the black-haired teen spoke. _"Tatsuna-san, it's Haise here. I've got something Danzō-sama should see."_

 _"Received Sasaki-san, you should disappear from there. Why? Because you're at risk of being detected by a leaf."_ It was the response he received from the other side of the line, to which the now-acknowledged Haise nodded before turning off the transmitter and turning his gaze to the barrier.

 _'This child, is it really what Danzō-sama is looking for?'_ Haise wondered as he placed the flat mask again and disappeared into a swirl of wet leaves. Whatever it was, it was no longer his problem, his only mission was to follow the brat for a while and report if anything had happened. It was not like he was going to be in charge of the brat, right?

 **xXx**

(Inside the Seal)

 _Naruto had never felt sick before. He knew that he meant to be and even saw several children during his stay in the orphanage, but he had never experienced it in his own flesh._

 _Until now._

 _The blond felt as every part of his body weighed him like leaden plates while his head was occupied by a sawed migraine that seemed to cut him inside. His throat was dry as if he had not taken any water in hours, if not days._

 _In short, the worst feeling he had ever experienced since one of the 'kind' midwives of the orphanage had 'accidentally' caused him to stumble from the top and fall._

 _With that in mind, Naruto stood up putting a hand on his forehead feeling like it burned as if he had a fever. Clenching his teeth, the boy rolled his hand over his forehead only to notice a 'small' detail._

 _Whatever was where he was. It was very clear that this was not the run down temple-like building where he had been before. In its place, there was a kind of gigantic meadow where the trees shone by their absence and no single other feature could be seen around._

 _"Hello?" Naruto asked, looking around. Perhaps the most disturbing was not the silence that was because despite hearing their own footsteps and voice, there was nothing else. What really troubled him was the fact that this place became quite familiar for some reason, as if he had seen it before._

 _"How the hell did I got to this place?" The blonde wondered as he scratched his head. There was something in the atmosphere that seemed to keep him there as if within a few intervals something was unleashed on him, but he only had to wait to see what it was._

 _And he did not wait much._

 _Naruto looked horrified as the clouds of the sky opened revealing that it was becoming a red color and were not the only ones, as an earthquake began to shake the earth causing the blond to stumble. His azure eyes watched as numerous cracks formed on the ground revealing huge torrents of water that began to flood the place._

 _Naruto was dragged by one and tried to uselessly shake to get rid of the sweeping current of water that dragged him. But as he did, he watched as a second tremor shook both the earth and the water that seemed to be affected by everything._

 _He saw the distance between them, a huge blurred mass rising and emitting a rending scream only to fall on the earth raising a cloud of dust and foam. As waves arose because of the force and hit the coast._

 _It was something of titanic dimensions. A dense dark mist covered its shape completely which changed between intervals but always maintaining a size that made the mountains no more than mere stones in comparison. Nor did the fog prevent a gigantic crimson orb from projecting onto the earth, a diabolical orb from which emanated the same crimson light._

 _Everything in his path was devastated, it seemed that nothing and nothing could cope. An aura of absolute primal despair and fear surrounded the monster as it advanced bringing chaos and destruction with his step alone._

 _Until he saw, like a cliff, energy someone brandishing something with a luminous aura. Someone who manifested a luminous colossus who attacked the cyclopean abomination which struck him with equal fury._

 _A true natural cataclysm enveloped them as the monstrous silhouette of the devil twisted, feeling the heavy onslaught of his executioner. It seemed as if Earth itself and Heaven were breaking under the pressure that both divine beings inflicted against each other._

 _Naruto watched as the monstrous silhouette fell and the luminous colossus faded over the cliff showing the glorious silhouette of the one who had stopped the beast only to raise his scepter and hit the ground with the point._

 _Pillars of rock rose from the water accompanied by sandbars and bones, huge bones of a thousand years old. All of this fused into one just forming a kind of mold on the water. Pieces of molten rock solidifying with the touch of water and clouds of steam hissing like thousands of furious snakes. All that and much more saw Naruto, who as a mere spectator was dragged by forces he did not know._

 _He saw how the great island had formed, saw the remains of the great monstrosity take the form of something bestial humanoid that disappeared when a beam of light enveloped it but not before leaving remnants on its deathbed._

 _He also saw how the island stabilized and filled with life, as people began to populate it ignorant of the horrors that lay in the foundations of this. He saw how others came out of the sea and the earth tormenting, as the demons disappeared by the great power carried by those who had followed the teachings of someone who had descended from the heavens. He watched as the monsters disappeared as they were subdued and bound to complex patterns of characters and as the responsible ones took the remains._

 _He saw how slowly, most of the people now possessed a strong scarlet like hair, just like the blood they shed from those who dared to put one foot and desecrate with their plants their sacred floors._

 _He saw how they all shared the same symbol. The crimson spiral that called in his dreams. He saw that whirlwind engraved in its portals as well as the sea currents that surrounded the island._

 _But they spent what seemed to be mere seconds for him, but centuries for the island. His azure eyes looked like those set on the island were alone most of the time, occasionally receiving the visit of equally powerful men with black and silver hair who seemed to be in good relations with them._

 _There were also visions of people with dark hair and bright crimson eyes making movements against them, but being brutally repulsed in fiery battles. The same was for others with brown and light-blue hair and lavender eyes as well as others with auburn and white, the first wielding torrents of molten rock from beneath their feet and the second using bones as mere weapons._

 _Then he saw it._

 _A citadel was beginning to erect on the island. Many buildings of imposing height were raised near the shore and multiple bridges connected them. Other buildings were structured leaving the place as a seemingly impregnable fortress._

 ** _Chōju no Sato (Village of Longevity)_**

 _"What?" Naruto wondered. Where had that come from? It seemed as if the name had simply appeared in his mind as if he had already known it._

 _Then, without realizing it, he was again on the ground and right in the middle of one of the bridges. Naruto ran to see the river that moved below and admire the surrounding landscape. All this was something he already knew in some way, a remnant lost in his memories waiting to be awakened._

 _The blonde laughed with joy as he ran across the bridge to one of the streets. He knew where he was, even though he had never been there, he knew it. He had found it._

 _He was at home._

 _But where were they all? He wondered as he continued to move. He had just discovered in those memories lost inside the mask and sheltered with an art dominated by his newly found family._

 _Whatever it was, he needed to know._

 _He continued to run to the streets, noting that the same symbol was always drawn to each post, on each bench, and on each surface. The red whirlwind that guided him to that place._

 _He was happy, happy to have found something to belong to._

 _But after turning the corner, happiness disappeared and was replaced by something else. Red was the color that had led him to that place where his house was embedded and red was the color of what he saw._

 _The sky lost the blue azure that kept in his eyes and was replaced by a scarlet diabolical. The clouds cleared in a torrential rain that diluted the pools dyed red were all rested._

 _All bodies stacked and mutilated in appalling ways. A field of flowers [corpses] stretched out over the horizon, losing themselves in the bloody water of the rivers. Countless weapons of iron and steel ensnared their bodies by desecrating them of all perpetual rest while their eyes were consumed by worms and warbirds._

 _Eyes of which flowed the blood that slowly began to rise to a level to flood it. Then they got up and the flesh was drawn back into them; Adorned with light armor and wielding curved blades, clashed with the barbarians carrying different colors with the insignia of the villages they represented._

 _ **"How is it possible that Kiri and Iwa have resolved their differences?"** Shouted a middle-aged Uzumaki before unloading a bluish slash at a stocky-built one-eyed man wielding a kanaboo who fell down when the slash severed his head._

 _But no one answered him, all were occupied in the bloody battle that was fought._

 _ **" Gen'ei Tajū Shuriken (Multiple Phantom Shuriken)!"** Someone yelled after throwing some four-pointed stars that turned into dozens striking multiple targets who could only gasp before life left their bodies._

 _ **"Keep moving!"** Ordered someone to a group wearing the Kumogakure badge on their hitai-ate. **"These demons are at their limit!"**_

 _Numerous screams crossed the atmosphere as the lives of both defenders and attackers were lost amid bloody stabs as well as the damage inflicted by elemental attacks._

 _ **" Suiton・Kōka Suijin (Water Release: Hard Whirlpool Water Blade)"** Yelled one of the Uzumaki after doing some hand seals. Almost instantly, the water erupted from a pool below engulfing the Kumo-nin's group whose cries for help muted off by the shockwave. Not finishing yet, the red-haired man ground the water around his arm in a drill, and lashed out at the rest of his enemies, losing himself in the crowd._

 _Naruto remained there without being able to move but soon the scene changed to that of a woman holding a scroll in front of a group of both kunoichi and shinobi of multiple nationalities._

 _The woman remained impassive even at the insults offered by her enemies who were preparing to end it with some technique._

 _ **" Kaifūjutsu・ Kamifubuki (Unsealing Technique: Paper Snowstorm)!"** She muttered under her breath while opening the scroll revealing multiple seals engraved on its surface._

 _An explosion of smoke emerged from the scroll accompanied by multiple pieces of paper and all with something inscribed._

 _Some of the enemies were covered to prevent it from rendering their vision useless, but a dark-skinned kunoichi noticed the inscribed symbols and tried to warn her comrades._

 _ **"It is not ordinary paper! They are ex-"** Before she could end, a kunai covered with a chakra layer was nailed to her temple giving an end to her life. The Uzumaki kunoichi merely performed a one-handed seal while the body of her enemy fell backward._

 ** _" Katsu (Explode)"_**

 _Several explosions caused the instantaneous death of those who were there and a dark cloud of smoke covered the sight of Naruto who only could see how the Uzumaki kunoichi prepared to extract the tanto that she kept in the obi of her kimono._

 _Now he watched as a pair of humanoid wooden artifacts fired rows of senbon at the right and sinister defenders while a few shinobi with the symbol of the Hidden Arena engraved on their shields from the front were directed by almost transparent threads._

 _The puppeteers protected the vanguard of their army while another group of Suna-nin ended a chain of hand seals._

 _ **" Fūton・ Kazekiri no Jutsu (Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique)!"** Yelled the group before a compressed gale of wind generated in front of them and rushed towards the Uzumaki defendants that tried to run before the deadly wind technique cut through them opening gruesome wounds in their bodies._

 _" **Continue with the assault,"** Ordered a tall, almost completely bald man with the exception of a ponytail, whose major feature consisted of an intricate green dragon-shaped tattoo which was tattooed around his top head, with a black claw covering his right eye **"The tropes of that man and the Kinkaku Butai have been pushed forward like the relics they are in comparison with Suna!"**_

 _ **"Hai Kazekage-sama!"** Yelled a great part of the troops before continuing with their onslaught. The Kazekage just extracted one scroll from his robe and unsealed the content; A large wooden puppet that bore a striking resemblance to a chinese dragon and used it with the same chakra-strings to combat the enemies that dare to engage him directly._

 _ **" Shikomi Kugutsu・Shinshin Happa (Prepared Puppet: Eight Waves of Needles)"** Calmy stated the Kazekage before making his puppet spit a rapid stream of countless senbon from his mouth, in a fashion similar to a machine gun._

 _Several of the defenders fell while groaning of pain when the needles; Which poisoned them. Only one managed to deflect the last wave with an arc of his blade which was covered with a bluish layer. The sign of the infamous Uzumaki-Ryū (Whirpool Style) Kenjutsu._

 _ **"Oh?"** , The Kazekage rose and eyebrow a small grin make itself visible in the corner of his mouth. **"A tough one, it's that so?"** He rhetorically asked before his free hand made a vague gesture._

 _The Uzumaki prepared himself to rush towards the Wind Shadow only to feel his eyes widen when his body did not respond._

 _ **" Sōen・Hitomi Gokū (Puppet Performance: Skilful Achievement with a Human Body)"** Called the Kazekage revealing the chakra strings attached to various spots of the man._

 _ **"How does it feel to be a mere puppet?"** Asked the Wind Shadow with a cruel smirk before controlling the body of his opponent through his fingers ignoring his pleas for help. The others tried to sever the strings only to be killed by the blade of their own kin._

 _The man laughed before continuing to advance while using his two puppets to annihilate all enemies that stood in his way. Naruto gasped seeing how his kin was being utterly killed by gruesome means._

 _He also saw how the Kage made his dragon puppet drop the orb located in its right claw which revealed itself to be an explosive which took the lives of enemies and allies alike. He saw how a woman in battle armor yelled while rushing at the Kage wielding a curved blade only to find death when the tip of the other 'puppet' torn through her face lifting to gaping bloodied hole there. The Kazekage only stepped over the corpses before another pair of strings attached to the woman's corpse and made her raise the other puppet._

 _"No more..." Called Naruto only to found that his voice was useless. He gasped trying to regain breath before he noticed that the situation had changed._

 _Now he was on what looked like a beach with sand stained with blood. He watched as a group of Uzu shinobi stood alert with weapons and scrolls prepared._

 _A kunoichi who held a hand seal released it and shouted something nervous. "A giant signature comes here accompanied by others ..."_

 _ **"I just noticed it too Kagura-dono!"** A young red-haired man replied, holding the grips of his two swords even more tightly. **"The fucking Mizukage did not want to be left out from the Par-"**_

 _An explosion of water spread to the river, releasing a thick mist that slowly advanced, hiding the horde of assassins who manipulated it._

 _ **"Kirigakure shinobi"** Angrily muttered Kagura before unsheathing her Jian and rushing towards the Mist while executing a one-handed seal chain. **" Fūton・Taifūikka (Wind Release: Passing Typhoon)!"**_

 _A powerful gust of wind emerged from her mouth and managed to dispell part of the thick fog revealing a group of shinobi wearing rebreather masks. Before anyone could react, Kagura nailed his long blade to the nearest one, severing his head cleanly and falling into the water, releasing a torrent of blood. The rest threw themselves at the cargo ready to kill her but received a rain of kunai from the rest of the defenders stationed on the beach._

 _But soon, those in the Hidden Village in the Mist reminded them that they were one of the Five Most Feared Villages._

 _ **" Suiton・Suiryūdan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique)!"** Thundered a firm voice before a gigantic leviathan rose the ocean and opened wide its jaws, only to launch itself towards the beach exploding in a water shockwave._

 _Kagura covered herself with one of her arms to keep the water from entering her eyes and neglected her sight. Serious error._

 _FLOCH_

 _The redhead spat blood and looked down only to see how an ice stake emerged from her belly. She looked to the front and saw one of Kiri's Jounin was bending a large piece of ice that stretched until it was in front of her._

 _ **"Damn Yuki"** Coughed Kagura before falling to her death._

 _ **"KAGURA-DONO!"** Yelled the red-haired young man before rushing towards her executioner with an enraged expression all written on his face. Ignoring the warnings of his comrades, he jumped before launching a double slash at the Yuki Clan member only to see how a huge metallic blade ended up slashing his own torso._

 _ **"Hugh .."** Tried to speak the young one before the wielder of the blade shook it severing his head from the body which fell to the sea._

 _The other stepped back clearly terrified of the wielder._

 _ **"N-can not be!"** Said one of them clearly marked with fear **"The very same Mizuk-"**_

 _He did not have time to finish before the large knife was slammed into his belly opening a deep wound that ended up exposing his organs while the rest beat back with the hopes lost. They could not face a Kage themselves and especially when their commander had died too easy._

 _They did not get very far, especially when the rest of the Kirigakure shinobi pounced on them, killing them cleanly._

 _The Mizukage, he was a tall man with black sclera, not visible pupils, and long, black hair which was long enough to reach his back with what appeared to be pearl-shaped objects forming a circular pattern, in his had pinstriped arm and leg-guards over which he wore a sleeveless haori with ragged ends. He also wore a poncho-like scarf around his neck._

 _However, the most notable feature in his outfit was the massive broadsword shaped-like giant butcher knife that he carried around like it was a light feather._

 _The Mizukage opened his eyes showing off their pitch black color and just said one single sentence. **"Kill them all."**_

 _Naruto only shouted enraged while seeing the following. As the Mizukage moved with the speed of a siege and unloaded slashes on all those who tried to meet it. And unlike the Kazekage, it simply had absolutely fine motions, which wounded and killed at the exact moment when the large, blunt blade collided with the bodies of its victims._

 _ **"Gah!"** Groaned to the bearded man who had approached too much and now the Mizukage's carving knife took great part from his torso._

 _ **"Attack him at the same time. He can not use his Kekkei Genkai in open spaces!"** Ordered one of the defenders before spitting an igneous ball to the Mizukage who simply blocked it with his sword before running quickly towards him and unloading a blow that instantly killed him._

 _The rest of his comrades did not stay in his place and each one dedicated to attacking the Kage in different ways. They were all useless._

 _Metal projectiles? Deflected completely by the sword and the fire projectiles that followed them were quickly nullified when the Mizukage opened its mouth emitting a powerful torrent that shattered one of the earth pillars effortlessly._

 _But the worst thing was when a kind of fog began to form. A thick fog, whose contact made the nearby stone hiss._

 _The shinobi of Uzu were made backward while they watched as the fog was manipulated. **"H-he is u-using h-his ..."**_

 ** _" Futton・Kōmu no Jutsu (Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique)"_**

 _Numerous cries of pain broke the atmosphere as the defenders stared in horror as the mist corroded their skin, giving them appalling pains and there was nothing they could do to prevent it. Even the long edge of the huge blade of the Mizukage was a blessing to send them to an early grave._

 _"Stop it! Please!" Implored Naruto unable to continue seeing those horrors. But just like the previous times, his pleas were in vain and the blonde was forced to see more scenes. One after another and no less ruthless than the previous ones._

 _The red and humid nightmares were nothing in comparison, for those were just that. Simple nightmares, vague dreams of his imagination that were completely unreal. Not like that massacre, slaughter that had happened on a bloody night for months._

 _A bloody night where the moon itself had been dyed with blood._

 _Another cry broke the silence while a young man exploded and his viscera ended up soaking blood and guts a street taking his assailants with him._

 _A woman with her forehead open and blood spun across her face, scraping the floor uselessly, was dragged to a burly man who laughed maniacally while giving him a dark stare._

 _Her cries of pain and despair were heard in the shadows leaving to the imagination what had been her destiny._

 _A couple of children were running around carrying a pair of heavy scrolls. The child, one girl stumbled and the other to help him, only for an electric shock will reach his face burning his cheek and leaving the child crying before a kunai was nailed to his temple. A kunai with a very familiar label._

 _The detonation only showed the calcined remains._

 _Tears sprang from Naruto's eyes until they began to take on a reddish hue as a result of crying. His lament was almost the signal that he was beginning to lose control._

 _"No more!" He yelled again with despair taking over his voice, which came out scrapped completely. "I don't want to see anymore, please, no more, no more!"_

 _But none of this completely stopped the visions, which only swirled around him, showing him many bloody scenes over and over again. He saw the same cruelties, he saw the countless butchery and carnage against them._

 _Against his own blood._

 _And it hurt. It hurt a lot. Too. He wanted it to stop, He didn't want to see more._

 _NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE NO MORE MORE NO MORE NOT MORE NOT MORE nOt MoRe nOt mOrE nOt MoRe NoT mOre_

 _He had to stop somehow. Even if he had to do it by himself. His bloodshot eyes noticed a kunai in a pool of blood, and he tried to take, but his ghostly hands could not interact with the memories of the past. No matter how brutal it was and thus it took into an eternal lapse in which he was nothing more than an observer who could not stop to seeing the scenes of that massacre._

 ** _"TAKE IT AWAY, REMOVE ALL THAT, NO MORE, NO MORE!"_**

 _The blond desperately scratched his trademark cheeks as his azure eyes began to turn a brilliant crimson and his pupil seemed to become slit. He twisted in that puddle of blood, and the horrid images kept spinning around him._

 _Emitting the last groan of pain, his back arched as his face faced the heights of a blood-stained sky and infinite embraced by the sea._

 _ **"NO MORE!"** He yelled for the last time emitting a wave of his own aura that managed to break the images as if they were mirrors and their remains were to be lost in the red waters that lie underneath. The lakes where the defiled remains of the fallen now rested._

 _Crying, Naruto slowly under his head showing a shaken and extremely pale face, his birthmarks were now more delineated while the strange eyes that revealed an intense resentment slowly lost their brightness but not its unique design._

 _And there, his eyes reached to see how in fact the infernal images had disappeared, only to be replaced by a dystopic and desolate version of the initial place; The prairie surrounded by hills and rivers that used to surround the imposing now lie covered with debris and corpses of the victors and losers. Trees, the few that were there were dry and putrefaction as well as vegetation. Strange thing as there was also a thin layer of blood covering everything like a macabre flood whose tide had risen._

 _Naruto got up looking at that infernal place. But no longer with sadness and even with disgust. But with something else. Something much deeper inside that was transmitted to the atmosphere from his now crimson look._

 _Fear._

 _"Why?" He asked for none in particular. He was completely alone in that place of death and desolation. Alone and full of anguish and fear._

 _"Why?" He repeated while ripples formed in the water, No, blood underneath. Ripples that slowly extended to the viscous surface like a horrid living stream._

 _And slowly, too, they managed to reach the debris remains were still engraved the proud insignia of the Uzumaki._

 _As soon as the current reached the rubble, the swirl was vaguely illumined by winding a number of threads of formula that spread along the surface forming intricate patterns of characters that maintained the same style of eddies._

 _The light lines continued their way even managing to cross the blood barrier below the liquid, on the ground illuminating the lake of blood from its foundations._

 _If anyone could see the show from above. It would have seen that in total they formed a gigantic circular pattern with several concentric rings of formulas that were interrelated time and again giving a brighter configuration._

 _Concentric rings that slowly separated only to form the blades of a gigantic eddy surrounded by a sun-like pattern and several thin rings from which sprouted irregular chains that gave the appearance of a kind of sun._

 _And once finished. A pulse was emitted from each of the seals that formed the titanic configuration, one that caused the earth itself to shake and the sky began to break until it was free of anything but the moon, completely stained red along with the atmosphere_

 _Naruto's mind had not yet been able to comprehend what had happened, not even to see the seals engraved in the blood approaches as if they had a life of their own managed to alert him. Especially when they had managed to climb up to where they were and connected with their ankles with a touch that resembled the burning of a hot iron._

 _"What?" He asked to feel the burning contact of the seals just to notice something else._

 _From a young age, he had noticed that his senses were somewhat more advanced than those of others. In the orphanage, he had been able to listen to other children talking two plants down the floor without much effort and also to be able to detect a piece of abandoned pizza in a canteen in the dining room._

 _Good thing he had managed to eat it before anyone else noticed it because otherwise, he would have starved that night._

 _But back to the point. He could hear it, no. he could sense it._

 _He felt like footsteps manifesting themselves across the surface, like long footsteps in a multitude rising from the red waters stained with death. And he could feel the presences too. As something dead and extinguished slowly lit up as if they were old lamps being reactivated by the work of an adjustment._

 _He saw sources of light energy from the red haze that rose from the tetric waters. As they approached slowly with the mark of death on their faces._

 _The death and its sequel were loosened of the waters. All red as the same color of life. The Cruel antithesis of which he was the witness. Blood shed in life amounted to robes in death._

 _And there they were. How many? Naruto could not have the slightest idea of it since he was too shocked to even say a single word._

 _From the red waters emerged as specters of the winter. Skeletons corroded to putrefaction and time covered in blood that began to be slowly wrapped in robes of flesh and fabric replacing their macabre factions for which they must have had in life._

 _All with pale factions and red hair of all possible shades. All with the same gaunt and sepulchral expressions that spoke of a lack of peace after death._

 _Dressed in regal-looking suits, ordinary robes and drafts, and even lightweight battle armor of times past. Naturally all the above covered with blood as a symbol that his descent into the afterlife had not been peaceful._

 _There was everything from children who could not have seen more than five winters and summers until old men of a fragile figure who seemed to have seen more than eighty. All with the same factions that marked them as children of the Whirling Tides._

 _Naruto could hardly rescue the most remarkable among the immense family crowd. A woman with long, bright-red hair and large, pupilless eyes. She wore an elaborate, high-collared kimono with the Uzushiogakure symbol on the back of the obi which was tied around her waist. Her hair was arranged in buns with hair pins in them and three clips in the front. She also wore a dark shade of red lipstick and had a rhombus making on her forehead. She also wore tags with kanji written on them in her hair decals._

 _An elderly man, who had long, white hair, mustache, and a squared-off goatee. He also wore lightweight-looking armor .Under that, he wore a long-sleeved, black outfit, the shoulders of which bore the crest of his back, where what appears to be the curved handles of two swords, which were shown to be bandaged up. He also wore a forehead protector with his village's symbol etched into it._

 _A red haired young man with piercing golden eyes, and fair skin. He wore a black wool shirt outfit similar to the one that the old man had but until there ended the comparison. A long navy trench coat lay overhead while a long scroll hung from his back._

 _The young woman with short hair and severe rictus that had seen in one of the visions. Kagura if he did not remember, he was there too. In her belly was the deep wound that the ice stake had inflicted._

 _These were the most distinguishable, but hardly the only ones, for the hundreds of red-headed fish that sprang like dead from the ocean kept appearing._

 _Each and everyone joined the ring that surrounded him. And they were all fixed with dead expressions. Lightning flashed in the distance and the light reveals the true nature of the apparitions. The single flash for Naruto to see the skeletons corroded by time behind those spectral facets._

 _ **"Is him the One?"** Spoke the most ghoulish voice among the death's crowd._

 **xXx**

(Outside the Seal)

"Just as you expected, Danzō-sama. Formulas are bound to his body." Spoke the masked operative who was kneeling beside the unconscious figure of Naruto whose eyes were completely open but devoid of all presence.

The Shinobi of the Darkness merely hit the ground with his cane. It had already begun, there was no way to cut the connection without killing or at best, completely disable the Jinchuuriki which could not be anything new, especially if its chakra flow destabilized the seal that contained the beast.

"Let me know if there is any change in the pattern of its flow," He commanded as he scanned the numerous chains of formulas that had spread through the ground as a result of the activation of the ritual.

 _'Just as Orochimaru had predicted. Only the blood of one of them, or rather. The chakra signature present in their blood vessels is able to release this. '_ He thought as he remembered perfectly how the Snake Sannin had managed to decipher the documents that Karashina Uzumaki had given to him more than twenty years ago.

Today, at last, he had managed to find the key to creating what he needed according to the words of his friend. And even better, he might be able to get the best tool or weapon the Leaf had ever seen.

Sarutobi had been a fool again. First, he had let the Hidden Cloud gain their upper hand during the Hyuuga Affair but previously neglected with an important military resource that was also nothing more than the living symbol of equilibrium among the Five Great Nations.

Especially when this resource departed from the lineage of those more qualified from birth to serve as sacrifices.

But that was going to end soon. Being subjected to the resentment of a village entered had done wonders with the attitude of the Vessel who apparently had been dedicated to obtaining answers of one form or another as well as attention.

And it was no lie what he had said in the shinobi section of the library. He really needed a new impulse. And what better than one who in turn was going to provide answers about their origins?

Of course, he did not have the slightest idea of what was going on inside the seal. In order to be a Fuuinjutsu master in his own right and to have been trained in Uzushiogakure himself, he was unaware of most of the darkest practices concerning the Seals that the Clan of Death had held or kept.

But even so, that did not prevent him from being able to deduce that whatever it was that had forced the best Sealmasters of all history to involve the Destroyer of Worlds in their arts could not be anything completely pleasant and their suspicions focused on that they had To see in that horrid assault where he had seen as three, and later four of the Five Shinobi Nations had launched into the assault.

If the mask contained even the most censored version possible of that massacre, there was no assurance that the Jinchuuriki would see the world as before and the last of the Shimura was more than sure that it would be much more effective than any conditioning technique that he could ever use on their agents.

In the same way, it was not going to be pleasant for the child. But his blood must have been valuable enough to give him such resilience.

Otherwise, someone was going to have to explain to Sarutobi how the Jinchuuriki had ended up being mentally deranged.

Or maybe he could condition what was left and rebuild consciousness from within. He was more than sure that a pair of Yamanaka, a Kurama, and an Uchiha were enough and spare for the task ...

But for the moment, the only thing that could be expected was to see how the boy was going to react to all that. He could not go near it, it was going to be interesting that his course was going to change so much.

What was the path he was going to take once his decisions were influenced by the powerful Will of the Whirpool, which could easily embrace the two curses on the Leaf?

"It will really be interesting how you end up ..." Danzō said giving one last look at the blond child. "Uzumaki Naruto..."

 **xXx**

(Inside the Seal)

 _The sepulchral voice had resounded in the red atmosphere like a command of more of the tomb that the rest of the crowd understood well. The dead with hair the same color as the blood spilled merely kept him surrounded._

 _ **"A filthy half-blood is all we receive."** Spoke with repugnance the voice of an old woman behind the young man with the golden eyes, who did not seem to attach much importance to the state with the exception of a slight spreading of his eyes._

 _" **His blood is valid. That's the only thing that matters, decrepit old woman ."** A man with a marked jaw responded and a scar crossed his right eye._

 _ **"Mama,"** a girl asked as she twirled the dress of a woman by her side with her left arm since the right appeared to have been brutally ripped off. **"Why does not that child look like us?"**_

 _ **"He must be a bastard in any case or a descendant with the least blood."** Added another man with a hair decorated in a regal-looking hairstyle._

 _Many others seemed to support the idea by feeling and directing him contemptuously charged looks at the blond. Looks so or even more cruel than those of the villagers._

 _Speaking of the blond, he was still standing in the center of the circle and surrounded by the multitude of the dead, which were none other than those who died in that annihilation and strangely his family, or the nearest clue he had found so far._

 _He knew he had to say something, but his mouth had become too dry to emit a single sound, something ironic as it was above a surface of the water. No, blood._

 _At this point, he no longer knew what was more disturbing: being surrounded by the dead in a lake of blood or having witnessed a live genocide._

 _"Why?" He asked and repented of it when he saw the dark countenance present in all the rest of the dead._

 _ **"Fear."** Spoke the old crone, **" Kumo's barbarians could never understand our arts and heard that their greatest weapon depended on us. The troglodytes had scarcely any knowledge of the use of the Legendary Treasures of the Six Paths."** She stated with the same disgust in her aged voice,_

 _ **"Envy."** Spoke another among the crowd. **"We who had achieved the power to bend the limits of the same power that gave us the ability to command the forces of nature. Our own prowess in the Water Release was on par with the Water Shadows of the Hidden Mist."**_

 _ **"Hatred, it's always hatred, stupid brats!"** Proclaimed a hunched old man leaning on a stick whose bottom resembled a naginata. "Hatred against the Leaf and us. Who had crushed them on the First War."_

 _Thousands of other options were spoken through hushed burials._

 ** _"Greed!"_**

 ** _"Ambition"_**

 ** _"Opportunity"_**

 ** _"Arrogance"_**

 _Until a voice stood between the Dead's column._

 _ **"Why do you all answer him, you herd of fools of impure lineage? Like the unclean he is, he must pay the price of our patron."** Sentenced a big man and of severe aspect marked by the fanaticism, made its way through the crowd managing to push sharply the old man of the two curved swords that merely limited glaring daggers to the back of the other._

 _ **"All right, you filthy one. I'm going to consume you and get out of here."** The man said and being closer, made Naruto see that a part of his face seemed to be deformed slightly._

 _The blond turned back slowly as he watched the menacing silhouette tower over him with his hands toward the front. Only the words he had said were enough and enough to warn him that his intentions were not good._

 _The man advanced with difficulty on the liquid surface with his footsteps echoing and the same sinister grimace engraved on his face. His hand reached forward as if trying to catch him, which Naruto prevented back._

 _"N-no." He said it was logical for a part of him to be completely terrified of that. Part of him was still trying to convince himself that it was a nightmare._

 _ **"Stay still, you little bastard."** The man grunted before trying to stretch further so that a creak would sound and come right from his foot._

 _ **"What the hell?"** He barked the man alone to see how something had actually happened to his leg. It had stuck to the liquid surface and refused to move._

 _And then he noticed a slightly luminous symbol on the surface, one too familiar that even he had drawn more than once._

 _ **" Shūshin-kei no Fūin (Life Sentence Sealing)"** Spoke one of the dead, one with the appearance of a priest and carrying a kind of ceremonial staff. **"He does have blood in it, but from whom?"**_

 _ **"Dammit!"** The man murmured before making an effort and throwing himself on Naruto almost in the same way that a certain man who had tried to slam it in the streets months before._

 _But as soon as his hand made contact with the blond, sparks emerged and a discharge surrounded the aura of the dead man who could only scream in pain and confusion as the energy aura that began to surround him slowly corroded the flesh until revealing his true skeletal form which flowed with threads of blood._

 _The skeleton fell to the ground only to be absorbed into a character that disappeared just as it had disappeared._

 _ **" Akujunkan no In (Vicious Circle Seal)"** Muttered the same priest. **"That was unexpected."**_

 _Naruto stood up to see what had happened. Apparently, the more they approached, a mechanism on the stamps prevented their movements and if they managed to touch him, something else protected him. Something that came from inside._

 _He raised his face, letting it be illuminated by the red light of the moon and exposed to the legion of the dead completely._

 _Numerous gasps were heard among the dead as well as genuine expressions of wonder and confusion. Although there were some who narrowed their eyes to the sight, among them the old man of the two curved swords._

 _ **"Ashina-dono, was that?"** Tried to ask a young man behind the old man just to get a grunt in response. The old man directed his purple-colored, pupil-less eyes to the other four most remarkable figures, who nodded before advancing slowly until they were separated from the rest_

 _ **"Well, look at that."** Spoke the younger woman, Kagura while giving a look full of pity to the blonde. **"The last of our kin, being no more than one of our most disastrous creations. Speaking of irony."**_

 _ **"Be silent Kagura."** Stated the young, golden-eyed man giving a look of disapproval to the woman. **"You have much boldness to disagree with the Sacrifices when one of us is one too."**_

 _ **"You two reckless youngsters, keep quiet."** Declared the old man with a tone as severe as gaunt. The man extracted a scroll from his right sleeve and opened it effortlessly revealing a long leaf with numerous delicately traced characters._

 _The other woman approached Naruto slowly, but unlike the man who had been cremated, the seals did not do anything to her and let her pass through the red surface._

 _The woman had an unreadable expression on her face, one that did not disappear until arriving in front of Naruto where she knelt to stay at the level of his face. Once there, her violet eyes fixed on the marks on the blond's cheeks_

 _Once there, she slowly passed her hand gently by them causing Naruto some tickles, who could not help but laugh down at the pleasantness of the sensation._

 _ **"What is your name, child of heaven?"** Asked the woman in an angelic voice, giving him a kind smile. Naruto decided that there would be no harm if he spoke._

 _"Naruto." He said, "Naruto Uzumaki."_

 _The smile widened slightly as her hand moved to touch his temple, where Naruto felt like something warm and attractive was concentrated. Slowly, he felt the woman unite his forehead with her own and caress his hair channeling the same warm sensation._

 _'What is this?' Though Naruto while feeling it. 'It feels ... I cannot describe it ... It's as if the sun were lighting up'_

 _The woman separated her foreheads and rose with a grace always present in her movements, only to meet with the old man, who had already finished unrolling the scroll completely._

 _ **"He is one of us. I feel the same chakra of Narakashina's great-granddaughter and my great-grandniece inside him, no doubt, he is her son."** Announced the woman with the same serenity. The old man, now called Ashina nodded at that._

 _ **"So that was the reason why the Akujunkan no In (Vicious Circle Seal) was active."** Stated Ashina. **"That man always had a strong affinity for Juinjutsu (Cursed Seal Techniques), and was so paranoid the the point of connecting the seal to his bloodline."**_

 _ **"Then it will serve for that."** Declared the man with the golden eyes approaching with Kagura following him behind. **"I do not need to remind you, Ashina-sama, Mito-sama that we need the White Tiger bearer, or the ritual may fail."**_

 _ **"Have you so little faith in the greatest work of our Clan, Karashina?"** Kagura asked with her arms folded. "The Nine Masked Containers are not needed for execution, they only increase effectiveness."_

 _ **"It was that same arrogance and recklessness that led us to fall, you reckless witch."** Answered the now called Karashina imitating her gesture. He looked at Naruto who stood there looking at them, apparently, all the impressions had temporarily disabled his movement, but that did not matter, he would not need it for what he was following._

 _ **"Shut up, demon spawn."** Kagura replied, " **We did not have the slightest idea that that monster was still alive. How did you want us to fight him with more than three nations following him?"**_

 _ **"Must I repeat myself again, you pair of young fools?"** Spoke Ashina visibly serious. **"The time to take blame ended more than twenty winters ago. We only have to finish the last contract with the Reaper."**_

 _Everyone nodded, this time in full agreement. Slowly they helped Ashina spread the scroll so that it circled the circle and completely separated the multitude of the dead who watched as their most remarkable members performed the work without any emotion present on their faces. That was already becoming more disturbing than usual._

 _Naruto only tried to approach the woman who remembered that they had called Myth only to be stopped by his angelic voice._

 _ **"Stay in the circle, please, Naruto-kun."** Gently ordered Mito while properly ordering the scroll. **"I cannot give you the answers you seek, but it will be the one who will give them to you."**_

 _'Okay,' The blond thought backward. 'But I would like to feel that warmth again.'_

 _Nodding, he stepped back into the center of the circle, watching as the four Uzumaki had finished arranging the huge scroll around him and began to stand at different points._

 _ **" Shisekiyōjin (Four Red Yang Formation)!"** Exclaimed the four Uzumaki after having made a sequence of hand stamps at the same time._

 _That said, a light sprout from the seals in the volute giving way to a beam of red energy that took the form of four red walls solidifying as a kind of barrier._

 _"What, what is this?" Naruto asked trying to move to the barrier only to be stopped again._

 _ **"Stay in the center."** Ordered Ashina while starting another chain of hand seals. **"He who can consume us without effort is unable to do anything to your blood."**_

 _"What?!" Asked/exclaimed Naruto more confused. "Be more clear, old man!" He tried to sound threatening as he frantically waved his arms._

 _ **"Feisty, isn't it?"** Commented Kagura starting his own chain of stamps. The short-haired woman gave him a fleeting smile. **"Maybe he really is one of us, but for the moment he has to pay the bill with the Devourer."**_

 _"What?" Asked Naruto, "Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Who am I supposed to meet?"_

 _ **"To the very thing we worship for centuries before learning how to handle it, Blood of my Blood,"** Karashina replied imitating his companions. The man with the golden eyes gave him a look that seemed to be a mixture of curiosity and ... Hope?. **"Stand firm and proud, live that way until the end of your days."**_

 _"What?" Naruto asked again, this time with a touch of desperation in his tone, especially after hearing the familiarity in the other. "What do you mean 'Blood of my Blood'?!"_

 _ **"Endure."** Said Mito, **"'We came here to be the vessels of the Nine-Tails ... But before that, we must find love and fill the vessel with it.' Those are the words I said to your mother, to my great granddaughter years ago. You'll have to find another way to control you use the power that is not yours, only hatred will come from it tranquil, deep inside of you. "**_

 _The blonde's eyes fluttered open as he heard the last. It was a prayer that contained many things he did not understand, but when he heard the word 'mother', they disappeared only to be replaced by a great curiosity._

 _"Wait!" Exclaimed Naruto, "Did you know my mother? Tell me who it is!" He asked excitedly only to receive a sad smile in response._

 _Then, he felt the walls of the red barrier begin to distort, the silhouettes of his dead relatives gave rise to those of red flames and without any heat that regressed as if they had a life of their own. Slowly the flames began to lower in temperature than the four loud voices of Mito, Ashina, Kagura, and Karashina._

 ** _" Tensha Fūin・ Shiki Fūjin (Transcription Sealing: Dead Demon Consuming Seal)!"_**

 _And it was at that moment, that Naruto felt something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong._

 _At first, it was the temperature that was descending, but then he noticed that the atmosphere was becoming a little darker. It was no longer the red color that prevailed, but the black as well. The surface was still a lake of blood, but it slowly was becoming black as tar._

 _The flames continued to dance on the walls of the barrier until they became the same red color with a violet-colored core that they pulled out of the presence of the night. Now the temperature had dropped brutally as if something were interfering with it._

 _Then, from the shadows began to appear a series of white flames that floated like lanterns of festival getting contrasted with the black ones on the walls._

 _Naruto hugged to try to conserve some heat and began to shiver, only to hear a slight rubbing inside the barrier, as if something else was there and mysteriously, the cold increase of intensity._

 _Slowly, something progressed until it was fully illuminated. A huge silhouette was present among the white flames before showing their appearance completely._

 _It was a translucent, gaunt specter with a demonic visage. It was much larger than an average human, possessing long, shaggy, white hair, from which two red horns protrude, as well as purple-colored skin. It was also draped in a large white kimono and carried a set of prayer beads and carried a tantō in its mouth which it removed with a clawed hand._

 _That allowed his mouth to be revealed. It was full of sharp, jagged teeth, and a very long, almost serpentine tongue._

 _In short, it looked like something incredibly frightening and monstrous. Something that obviously did not belong to the world and its own presence was unnatural._

 _Naruto's eyes filled with fear as thick drops of sweat began to traverse his face as he felt the golden eyes of the demon lay on him and his tongue extended to lick his lips._

 _One of the claws, the one that was free, stretched out to catch it so fast that Naruto could react, but stopped halfway, noticing the look of the blond, completely fixed in his eyes._

 _The demon lightly inhaled his head to the right side and approached a little emitting an aroma of putrefaction and falling moisture caused nausea to Naruto._

 _But that also allowed him to be able to identify who, or what was the entity in front of him, and the answer was not a pleasant one._

 _The Shinigami._

 _"..." Naruto muttered as he felt the Reaper's gaze through his body piercing it as if it were crystal. "H-hi?"_

 **xXx**

(Outside the Seal)

Naruto's body twisted slightly, a movement that was not ignored by the masked man at his side who hastened to warn his master.

"Danzō-sama." He said, gaining the attention of the elder who moved slowly with the help of his cane. "I think you should see this." Indicated the operative while forming a hand seal.

While the gift of being able to detect chakra naturally was rare. After several years of manipulating their own chakra flow, experienced shinobi could learn to manipulate their own so they could detect chakra spikes and fluctuations in nearby waves. With more experience, one could even detect the natures of chakra and alterations in it.

"Yin Chakra, a high amount now present in the body and leaving the mask through the formulae threads." Added the operative. "It is so much, that it easily dwarves the boy's own reserves."

"So they really managed to seal it inside the mask. Fascinating." Danzō said with a look of appreciation at the piece of porcelain that rested on the face of the blond child. When Karashina had stated it, he had felt skeptical about it, but now he could see that the seal master had not exaggerated or lied.

"How are the boy's vital signs?" Asked Danzō. In theory, the Uzumaki's resilience should be more than enough to protect him from the possible plot that the Reaper's presence might bring, in addition to the theory that his body was protected by Naraka's blood. But it must not be forgotten that the boy was a mestizo, and despite having the powerful chakra Namikaze had also obtained.

Even so, the vessel was probably not as resilient as his mother or Mito-sama. But it was a risk that had to be taken. The life of a shinobi was about sacrifices, being one turned you into the other, and this child was born to be one too. One could even say that he had been sealed to be one.

"Stable." Answered the sensor as his hands lightened slightly indicating the presence of medical ninjutsu of analysis. "His body is holding up quite well to the effects of the outer chakra, a side effect of containing the great mass of the Kyūbi no Yōko, I suppose."

"Kanoe," Danzō called, causing another shinobi to wear the outfit that marked him as a Root soldier emerging from the shadows. "Bring Shigaraki-san here, it's likely we'll need his knowledge." Ordered the leader of the Foundation without any regard, to which Kanoe nodded before disappearing into a swirl of leaves.

 _'It's becoming quite problematic that we're lately falling short of brilliant minds,'_ Danzō thought with an inner frown. More than stealth assassins and frontline fighters, they also needed experts in the more subtle fields of the Shinobi Arts. The two greatest experts in these areas had also turned out to be two of Sarutobi's greatest failures, and although he would never admit it, he was also to blame for the defection of the more dangerous of the two.

 _'This generation will be going through many difficulties, especially in the future.'_ He mentally recited Sarutobi's words during the emergency meeting that night five years ago. The same meeting where the death of the Yondaime had been announced as well as the status of their new Jinchūriki, going through the recovery plans of the village as well as Sarutobi's return to power.

To be honest, Danzō doubted that the current generation would have greater problems than the past, but one could never be sure, after all, unpreparedness was one's greatest enemy and remaining without it could lead to ruin. Both of men and hidden villages.

So, seeing as the Leaf was short of strength for a while despite the talent of some of the generation who had been too young to fight the Nine Tails. But it was not enough, even he was more than agreeing that most of his Foundation's members were barely above the chuunin rank in skill.

So, seeing that Bijū they had their power and had seldom made use of their power in the past, perhaps it was time to use it for what it was. An important Military Asset that could guarantee them the balance for a longer time. Naturally, he had proposed the former during that night only to be roundly rejected with some exceptions.

He had no grudge against it, he knew that most of his dirty rags were a matter of public knowledge among the high commanders of the village. Nor was there any reason to be annoyed by the lack of vision of the great picture by them, who had barely dealt with the darkness of the shinobi world and the village.

"Danzō-sama!" The voice of the sensor pulled him out of his thoughts. "The resentment is intensifying within him, the vital signs are failing and his own chakra seems to be diminishing." Announced the masked operative running another analysis on the blond's body with the mask still on his face, if one paid attention, you could see that he was twisting slightly.

Danzō narrowed his only visible eye before executing the same hand seal, managing to detect a strong spike on the Jinchūriki's temple. He also seemed to detect several remnants of family chakra as well as numerous fluctuations he would never have thought he would see in person.

 _'What is going on in there?'_ Though the Shinobi of the Darkness. _'Is it possible that he may obtain something more from the bloodline that he carries within his blood?'_

 **xXx**

(Inside the Seal.)

 _Not many people like the idea that they are going to die one day. They try to make the most of their lives so as not to go beyond with regrets while others slowly sink into despair as they are unable to realize their goals._

 _We have all been told that death will come eventually for us, and no one has been the exception._

 _In the Shinobi World, death always lurks at every corner and can come in the form of a well-aimed kunai to the temple, in that of an explosive label being activated, in the combination of a lethal Jutsu._

 _The possibility of dying of old age is rare enter shinobi. And only the strongest and most experienced, as well as the most cowardly and skeptical, were able to reach that time when their services were no longer needed._

 _But what could be more terrifying than seeing the being that embodied Death while you were just a five-year old kid? A five-year-old kid who had witnessed numerous bloody essences that would have traumatized any other child._

 _Well, that was basically what Naruto was thinking as he faced the menacing silhouette of the Shinigami that towered over him._

 _"Hmm ... Hi?" Tried to greet the blond just to feel the temperature dropping down again as the Shinigami silhouette slowly descended, stretching his free arm and looking dead with the visible intentions of catching him, just like that Uzumaki whose skeleton had been consumed by the protective seals that were currently glittering due to their absence._

 _Much faster than he could avoid, the Shinigami's garment settled on his chest causing the blond to be suddenly assaulted by a wave of cold that paralyzed him from the inside. Immediately an aura appeared to emerge from the skin of the Reaper whose scent had nothing to envy a corpse with a few weeks of putrefaction._

 _"Agh." Naruto let out a pained gasp and his azure eyes widened as he watched as a series of character formulas sprouted from the skin of the Shinigami's arm and seemed to extend to his body, managing to attach himself to his shirt. But unlike the threads of formula that he had seen, which were full of characters drawn delicately and even artistically, those of Death God instead were irregular and wicked and tribal in appearance._

 _But then, he was surprised to see how the sinister-looking sealing formulae stopped when they reached his skin as if it were a barrel surrounding the fabric._

 _The action also seemed to surprise the Shinigami despite the lack of expression in his face gaunt, which made him traverse his claw a few centimeters below to reach the stomach of the blond where he seemed to try to repeat the same thing, only to unleash a light wave of energy that bounces harmlessly against the walls covered with black flames of the barrier._

 _Naruto felt for a few seconds a small sensation of ruddiness in his stomach, one that was remarkably capable of counting on the cold infections that the Reaper's hand emitted. He looked at the front again to find his gaze locked with the Shinigami itself who seemed to be deep in thought. Suddenly, the gaunt specter withdrew his claw from his stomach and pointed him with a bony finger._

 _ **"I did not expect it to be you, the creature that I had to strip off from its progenitor some time ago, the one I was going to find myself facing as a sacrifice."** Spoke the Shinigami with a deep voice that seemed to be the mixture of more than a million. His golden eyes, almost equal to those of the man named Karashina, focused directly on him. **"I did not expect you to be the last of those who swore to me and eventually took control of me."**_

 _"They swore you servitude?" Naruto asked with visible confusion on his face. He, the invincible destroyer of worlds, the being to which all other beings feared, had he been the master of the Uzumaki at some time? Already the day could not get any weirder, And that was what his parent had been-?_

 _The Shinigami seemed to slightly narrow his eyes before continuing. **"So you're ignorant of the Old Ways, how intriguing."** Hissed the Death God licking his lips with his long tongue in a way that would make Snake Sannin tremble with emotion._

 _The Shinigami floated around to surround Naruto like a predator circling its prey. From time to time he gave him a thoughtful look as if he were deciding what to do with him._

 _For his part, the blond stood firm, as Mito had indicated but inside, was a bundle of nerves. Although of course, in a situation like that, who the hell would not be?_

 _ **"Do you know why you're here?"** The Shinigami asked, at last, stopping at a specific point before the black flames lifted what appeared to be a kind of black throne with the engraved red whirlpool where it took a seat staring at the Jinchūriki._

 _ **"You have the same chakra in your soul, it's a bit dilute and kept at bay with the other three that are present in your system."** The Shinigami commented. **"But those marks on your cheeks are unmistakable, and with that appearance, it is obvious who you are."**_

 _Upon receiving no answer, the Shinigami lifted the claw allowing its wires of formulas to exude into the air until it connected with the walls of the black flames were four swirls of the same color in motion began to appear that turned to become visions of what which used to be behind the bar._

 _The red wasteland was now covered with crosses and wooden stakes in which they lay nailed and impaled respectively dozens of corpses with expressions of horror engraved on their faces. Mountains of corpses could also be seen in the distance but not static, rather in constant movement._

 _Thousands of vertebrae, skulls, bones, and all kinds of human bones lay in the pools of blood with one or another remnant of rotting flesh and tissue._

 _In short, the most accurate description of what the battlefield looked like after the massacre._

 _ **"That night was the most lucrative of all, not even the battles where the souls of the Whirling Tide's enemies had ended up consumed by me through sacrificial rituals had been so satisfying."** The Shinigami commented in his voice from the avern, did not seem to have any importance for the lives of which he was speaking. **"Your Kin fought like demons in those days, they managed to take more than ten invaders for each one of them who died in battle. It was certainly the day in which more souls consumed indiscriminately, but the most special thing was that it was also the night in the which I could keep more in my stomach. "**_

 _The Shinigami hold both hands while he keeps his dead gaze on the Jinchūriki in a way that worries Naruto more than he already was._

 _"What do you mean souls that preserve .. Hum .. Shinigami-sama?" Naruto asked adding the suffix out of fear and respect. Nothing big, I was just talking to the God of Death_

 _It was almost imperceptible, but Naruto seemed to detect the ghost of a smirk on the lips of the specter suddenly shaken both arms getting the panels that made up the barrier and showed the infernal wasteland from outside changed to become again in the black flames that reversed its appearance to red again only to return to the vision of the dead Uzumaki who looked inward with eyes of life and factions on the verge of decomposition._

 _They seemed to be completely out of the humanity they once had, and they resembled hungry specters who looked upon him with insurmountable deuces of envy and greed._

 _Tortured and trapped in that hell created within their own inventions._

 _Then Naruto's eyes widened as he realized what the Shinigami was referring to. Horrified, he directed his azure eyes to the barrier panels and hundreds of dead stares responded to his gaze._

 _ **"I see you guessed it already."** The Shinigami commented as he extended one of the wires of his arm that traveled through the air until it stuck into the bar and pierced the chest of one of the dead on the other side; A middle-aged man with his hair collected in a ponytail who emitted a loud groan to see how the formulas spread through his body and dragged him into the barrier where he entered as the same red skeleton in which he had been transformedwhen he had tried to attack him_

 _The skeleton remained static as it was dragged to the Shinigami who simply opened his mouth absorbing the corpse as if it were a vacuum sucker._

 _"You ... You ate them ..." Naruto said in complete horror as he took a few steps back. After having had some last moments of martyrdom, only to think that their final destinies had been to remain inside the stomach of the God of Death, condemned to a repetition of their deaths again and again without a possibility of return ..._

 _And all that, until you get to the phase where they twisted and became into that. Hungry ghosts in empty carcasses and putreffact, living and demonic bodies inside of the hell that was the belly of the Reaper._

 _All this made Naruto suddenly have desire of-_

 _Emptying the contents of his own stomach, which went to the floor that was the red surface of liquid appearance._

 _Once finished, the blond slowly raised his face marked by disgust and fear._

 _"Why?" He asked the Reaper. "... What did they do to deserve that?"_

 _ **"Everything has a price, little sacrifice."** Answered the Shinigami from his dark throne. **"Life is cruel, what makes you think death is not?"** He rhetorically asked before continuing._

 _ **"For eons, the Uzumaki had different interests than hunting down the demons created by the God Tree or fighting against the other men in bellicose acts. They dedicated themselves to investigate and study the mysteries of the gift that is the chakra and the way to reach its limit. An ingenious breed, but fools at the same time. "** Sentenced the Shinigami. **"They accomplished several things in their time, and even one of them was to be able to bind me by worldly means and to call me at will when they required it."**_

 _Of course, that struck Naruto as if a bucket of water had fallen on him._

 _What a day he was having. First, he had received a clue from a mysterious old man, he believed in a possible family bond, after he had finished contemplating infernal visions of the massacre and siege of one nation by others, he had seen the remnants of the remnants of possible ancestors and relatives paraded. Even had interacted with them, was facing the being that embodied Death itself and was learning the history of their ancestors who lived in eternal purgatory within the womb of the same being, who apparently served mysterious ways in life._

 _Definitely, no one could have a stranger day in those moments._

 _"M-my family." For Kami, it felt strange to say that. "Could use you in that way, Shinigami-sama?" Naruto asked, his mouth felt dry and acidic as a result of the vomit that had arisen from there moments ago, which made his thirst increase._

 _" **That, among other things that they managed to create after their discoveries."** The Reaper replied with the same voice as before. **"But everything has a price, eye for an eye, soul for soul, that of the summoner and that of the target."** Again he nodded, pointing to the row of hungry dead behind the panels of the barrier._

 _ **"Each and every one of their souls are here, all those who perished that night, with their blood marked by the engraved micro seals on it by means of the esoteric arts of a forgotten age."** Pointed out the Shinigami without any remorse. **"Everything is paid in the same way, their blood is special because they were blessed with the remnants of that man and allowed them to manipulate it to their liking by means of their arts."**_

 _ **"It was their arrogance and greed which caused their own downfall, their arrogance at the thought that they could command death without suffering any consequences."** Declared the Reaper, again mustering the silhouettes of the Uzumaki, reduced to mere hungry ghosts who watched the from the other side of the barrier through empty eyes and devoid of humanity._

 _ **"But years of service could not be ignored either."** Added the Death God suddenly, gaining the blonde's attention again with that. **"Connecting completely to my own configuration allowed them to subsist, or at least their consciences in that way so that someday their will would be transferred through the blood of some future remnant."**_

 _'Me.' Thought Naruto. Dozens of emotions focused on that one thought. Joy for finally finding something to belong to, sadness for being the only remaining part of that and deep down, resentment for the fate that their relatives were suffering. Unknowingly, he clenched one of his fists as he tilted his head slightly so that the tear that ran down his cheek could not be noticed._

 _ **"Now do you understand why you're here, little sacrifice?"** Asked the Shinigami, **"The conditions were always the who carried the necessary blood of them, it would not matter if his heart was full of darkness or light, much less his age and state. Only blood was the only requirement, but those who tried to enter by force, ignoring the conditions, would see their soul being brutally snatched from their bodies until consumed by the Gaki, the ghosts of the Uzumaki present here."**_

 _"What do they want?" Asked Naruto looking fearfully at the dead. He did not want to be surrounded by them again in that circle despite the protective seals. He would only feel comfortable with Mito and the other three._

 _A crooked smile crept past the Shinigami's mouth as he made a pair of hand seals._

 _ **"They will tell you."** He responded with a hiss as he took his tantō and executed a stab in his stomach from which he wore a venomous purple icor followed by four white flames that floated out of the wound._

 _The flames remained static at various points around Naruto before they slightly expanded and took the form of the four most notable Uzumaki who had been the ones responsible for the barrier's creation and summoning of the Death God._

 _"What, you guys are here again ?!" Asked Naruto a bit excited. Luckily he did not have to face the creepy corpses from outside, he did not even believe the power of the seals would be enough to protect him, especially when now he knew that they had the intention to eat his soul without any consideration._

 _ **"Hi, Naruto-kun,"** She smiled gently as she approached leaning back to reach his height. **"You have stood firm, good."**_

 _The other three approached in their own way surrounding him by different points. Naruto could not stop a smile from appearing on his face, one that vanished as he remembered that the four of them, along with the rest, must have spent an eternity locked in that horrible place._

 _"Why did you do it?" He asked with sadness all written in his azure eyes, only to be answered by the old voice of Ashina, who had both hands together._

 _ **"It was our stupidity, fueled by our arrogance."** The old man nodded, his face solemn. **"We wanted to go further, but we only met our ambition and blindness. This was the least we could do to find redemption."**_

 _ **"Just as we were destined to remain in the World Destroyer's stomach,"** Kagura added, crossing her arms. **"This was the least we could do, as the old man said. We could not let our future generations make our own mistakes, huh?"** Said the short-haired woman ruffling the blond's hair._

 _ **"Kagura."** Sternly Karashina said as she brought both hands together with a sigh. " **A connection through the chakra in our blood, amplified by micro seals engraved on it by our ancestors of centuries ago, probably before the Shinobi-Yōkai Wars."** Explained the man with the golden eyes who seemed now to be a couple of years older. **"We only reinforced it every time we used Shiki Fujin and its derivatives, but the Devourer allowed the more resistant to maintain some consciousness within the multi seals, only until we found someone who carried our lineage, we would be allowed to stay outside of that corrupted influence. "**_

 _ **"If it had not happened, you would have grown as one of us. You probably would not have had to live this life that has marked you since birth."** Mito said with a hint of regret in her voice. **"But this is all we can give you, we're so sorry."**_

 _And with nothing more to say, she hugged him gently causing a gasp on the part of the blond who for the second time, felt like a few tears travel on his cheeks._

 _The other three did not say anything, only stayed in their respective places watching the scene and not being able to avoid being moved by this. Kagura lightly knocked Karashina on the elbow who seemed to be deep in thought._

 _ **"Are not you going to say something?"** Asked the woman with short hair. **"Remember very well that this will be the last time, do not you think it may be time to repair what you caused?"**_

 _But that was met by the silence of the man with the golden eyes who barely gave him a glance. **"Well"** Silently snapped Kagura, **"Do whatever you want, just stay dead with your pride just like-"**_

 _ **"It's not worth digging up that,"** Karashina replied with the same neutral tone as always. But Kagura noticed a slight remorse. One that seemed to have been cultivated for the last twenty years. **"The boy needs a new beginning, it is too much that he lives according to the new way of our legacy, it is better than he is stranger to my negligence as a father, I already made a mistake with my daughter, I will not try to do it with the grandson who I just met. "**_

 _Kagura nodded in understanding. At least it was something that the previous Kinja bearer showed regret over his failure as a father to his family. Apparently, this place as purgatory could become very effective._

 _Mito separated from Naruto before placing her hand on his stomach. With her hand there posed, she channeled again some chakra, much to the blond's joy who received the same warm sensation once again._

 ** _"I see he's still asleep, it must be the influence of the Shinigami, but do not worry, I'm sure you'll eventually find a way to ..."_**

 _ **"Mito."** Ashina said, **"You better let him find out for himself. He did a good job with us."**_

 ** _"Tell me what?" Naruto asked._**

 _ **"You will find out in due course, believe us, you will need space inside that little head if you want to receive that,"** Karashina added before pointing to the barrier where the faces of the hungry ghosts still stood._

 _ **"It's true, you need to be in shape since resisting those voices, those that make up the Will will be difficult, you must stay strong."** Continued Kagura, while a grim expression takes over his face. **"The dead are very tormented, there are some among us who present that something should happen, the Devourer himself also has the answers under his charge, but refuses to say them, only through the Will you will be able to absorb that."**_

 _Karashina turned and stared at the blonde with his bright eyes the same color as the gold. **"There should not be many on the Leaf who knows the ways of our Clan. Decades have passed since our fall, but if there is one person you can trust to perfectly know our ways and I am sure that is still around, Danz**_ _ **ō**_ _ **Shimura .Do not be surprised if you can not find him, he's usually the one who does it before you know it. "**_

 _"Will?" Naruto asked. The Shinigami had mentioned something similar when he revealed the connection he had with tormented souls, but he had never specified what it was._

 _ **"You'll know soon enough,"** Mito said gently patting his back and ruffling his hair before getting up to join the other three. **"But for the moment, we can only tell you that you are not alone. You will always have someone to accompany you."**_

 _"Hey, wait!" Said Naruto, "We're going?! -." But he stopped middling when he noticed their grim expressions._

 _"We'll keep an eye on you." Said Mito, while the others nodded before a part of the barrier was fragmented and their shapes were dragged towards the opening, where they barely crossed, their skin seemed to fragment also revealing tissues, muscles to end in the pure bones._

 _ **"You will see them again, once I release the spiral of your souls upon you. Blood is the means by which it will travel and be assimilated within you."** Commented the silhouette of the Shinigami revealing itself in the shadows. The Death God had his arms outstretched with the sealed formulas spread over their skin, his golden eyes glittering at the thought of unleashing the hungry ghosts._

 _ **"Anyone else would die in the attempt, for their blood would not be concentrated enough in chakra to support it. Only those of strong chakra could be able to handle it, but in the end, it would be only a Son of the Whirling Tides who would do it to its maximum level. "** The Shinigami slowly floated up to the blond who seemed to be affected by the above._

 _"What does that mean?" Naruto asked for the last time, it seemed that with every question he asked, a thousand more appeared in his mind._

 _ **"Your blood is enough for the moment, it will protect you that you end up losing your mind to the pressure. You are also immune to my seals to strip a body of your soul, that is because those who have been marked by me, never they can see their soul being torn away. "** Added the Shinigami while staring at him. **"It's such a shame, but the Death God always pays his debts, plus I can wait forever to savor it."**_

 _"Wait!" Spoke Naruto raising his hand, which caught the attention of the entity who just kept looking at it._

 _Naruto swallowed hard thinking about what he was going to say. "What do you mean by those who were marked by you, Shinigami-sama?"_

 _ **"Those who have received my mark and did not call me nor were cursed by the same technique."** The Shinigami answered with a sardonic smile, **"And you, little sacrifice, you are the perfect example of that sort of unique people."**_

 _"Which mark?" Naruto asked. "I do not have any of that!"_

 _If possible, the Shinigami's smile widened even more. **"Check your belly then, little sacrifice, do you really think that the woman only channeled chakra in that area by pure coincidence?"**_

 _Decided, Naruto lifted his shirt, shaking his head only to see if there was anything engraved there. A black spiral surrounded by two formulas; One up and one down, the array glowed slightly as part of the warm feeling remained stored there_

 _The brand emitted power, something that even he could detect, an aura of raw and concentrated power right there._

 _Then, he remembered Mito's words, words that she had spoken to him for the first time. During those moments, he had been more concerned with the hug she had given to him, and that was because he had never felt one, especially from a woman. But still, he could recall them._

 ** _"We came here to become the Vessels…But first, you need to fill it with love and understanding, both rare treasures in this cruel but beautiful world. "_**

 _And there was also the fact that the Shinigami called him little sacrifice most of the time. Sacrifice for what exactly? Now, he thought that had the answer. Power inside of him, and one of vast magnitude. For it to have been sealed way in a vessel of blood and flesh instead of paper by the hand of the being that embodied Death. The thought of it made, for unknown reasons, Naruto proud of himself._

 _ **"From your very birth, you were sealed. Your own fate has been marked by the very same art that your kin devoted their times and lives on it. You are destined to walk as a living seal until you become a soiled corpse and even after death, you will join them."** Spoke the Shinigami licking his lips with his purple serpentine tongue. **"You, who contain one of the remnants of the Deidarabotchi, who is cursed with the burden of one having inside one of the Six Path's remains, will become the new and last carrier of the Whirlpool's Will. "**_

 _And once he had finished saying that, the Reaper extended his arms revealing multiple of the wicked sealing formulae threads beneath its robe that expanded until reaching the wall of the barrier meeting the horrid faces of the dead trapped on the other side._

 _And then, he also approached the soon-to be aware Jinchūriki with the same sardonic grin._

 _ **"But, there's something that I'm capable of doing, Little Sacrifice."** Stated the Death God, **"Once I release their unique wills and consciousness, you're on your own. The pressure of the collective lunacy is more than enough to crush the mind of a mortal to oblivion. In fact, most mortals would have had already submitted upon the sheer amount of my chakra present in this mere projection. A testament of the natural potency of your own energy."**_

 _"W-what do you mean?" Said Naruto founding that more confusing. He knew that it was useless to stall whatever he and the others wanted to set free, but at least he wanted to see if there was another way around that road._

 _ **"A gift, if you want to call it that, something that will allow you to assimilate everything in a better way, a tool that will give you the means to change the course of one's destiny."** Continued the Reaper while extending his bony hand in which appeared a formula of sealing. **"Power I cannot bestow on mortals, I am not one of those worms that are the Y**_ _ **ō**_ _ **kai to grant mere illusions of it nor can I grant immortality, only those marked by the Design of Evil or those who consume the Forbidden Fruit can enjoy that gift. But knowing that Little Sacrifice, what will you choose? "**_

 _Naruto looked at the reaper's hand cautiously and analyzed his options. On the one hand, he did not trust to be able to endure those things that were about to be released, it was not a matter of believing or not, he only intuited that after everything that had happened, he would be able to endure that. But on the other hand, it was a deal with the Death God of what he was talking about. He may have been a five-year-old boy (a little more intelligent and prepared than the average, please) but even he knew that it couldn't end up good at all._

 _"What are the conditions? I don't think that with everything I've seen, you're doing this for no reason!" Asked the blond staring with his azure eyes at the silhouette of the Reaper, the words of his ancestors had managed to have an effect that allowed him to have something more valuable._

 _For the third time in the day /night, whatever it was, Naruto saw how the Shinigami's smile widened._

 _ **"My, aren't you learning the rhythm of how this work?, Little Sacrifice."** Commented the Shinigami with a voice now drier and devoid of emotion. **"I've already taken away a lot from you Little Sacrifice, Greed is one of the aspects of death that I can embody, but I doubt you have an interest in that."**_

 _ **"Keeping those nine remnants separate will ensure that we never see the return of the Ame no Hitotsu no Kami and his monstrous parents. But ambition is something that knows no bounds, especially when it drives a mortal."** The Shinigami said, **"No one in their right mind would wish for the return of those demons and the legions they brought with them to ravage the Earth with death and despair. Life and death must be in perfect balance as nature, not in the hands of monsters without temper or morals like them. "**_

 _"And what do I have to do with that, I mean apart from having one of those 'remnants'?" Naruto asked, unable to see what the being that embodied Death was referring to._

 _ **"Nothing, just the conditions."** The Shinigami replied floating around him as the white flames followed him closely. **"Of the many gifts that have been bestowed upon men by the supernatural over time. There are very few who are not as coveted as the gift of being able to see beyond time."** Sentenced the Shinigami. The specter was ironed a little more and the fangs seemed to retract. **"Few have that gift, like the Ōgama Sennin (Great Toad Sage) from Mount Myōboku and a caste of priestesses who settled in the region where the Mōryō was sealed. Outside these two examples, there is no one else who can see the future except the dead. "** Claimed the Death God._

 ** _"The dead can see beyond reality at times, the future and the flow of time can not be changed, ever, only one can see mere reflections of this in the vigils. And many of them have seen the same."_**

 _ **"Black and red visions of the earth shaken to its foundations in a titanic battle where there are no victors, whole armies facing each other while the silence is broken and plagued by numerous groans and moans of the wounded and dying. Mountains of corpses with streams of blood dragging them towards the red lakes that are forming below in the battlefields ."** Narrated the Shinigami in a voice much more gaunt than usual while his golden eyes seemed to be stuck in something that only the entity could detect. **"Swirls forming as banners fall into the blood diluted by water, numerous banners carrying the insignia of dozens of clans and nations, a desperate war for a desperate cause, kindled by someone who has sought the power of past millennia for its own ends. A Red Moon burning in a sky of the same color, with nine black tomoe engraved on its surface that furiously whirls while a primordial roar shakes the earth followed by the rise of a colossus from the sea of blood. A great abomination that spreads like a spear through heaven as its roots expand by breaking the earth mercilessly and absorbing the sea of spilled blood, all of it while that woman's laughter spreads all over the world... "**_

 _"And in the light of the moon, which envelops them all." Naruto finished very much to his own surprise as his azure eyes widened as he realized what he had said._

 _ **"Interesting,"** said the Shinigami, **"So the blood bond has allowed you to have access to those same visions, such promise."** The Death God said, approaching even more with the extended hand and the same formula recorded there. **"One more reason even to grant you that, a small inhibitor in your mind that will give you a resilience on par with the one that you have in your body. It may be possible that combined with the Will, it will eventually allow you to have access to the gifts of the Uzumaki's blood to its highest level, despite being half-blood. "**_

 _Naruto looked at his hand and considered it seriously. He had nothing to lose with that, the Shinigami had been very clear that he wanted to avoid that vision, and that better than accept something that could help._

 _"I accept," the blond said as he placed his hand on the Shinigami's claw only to meet the golden eyes of him staring at him._

 _ **"First, a payment in blood. That is the most valid of all the promises."** Sentenced the Shinigami only to see how the blond had already bit his thumb until he let out a single drop of the liquid and allowed it to flow through the palm._

 _Once this was done, the blonde sighed before putting his hand together with the Death God, feeling a faint burning in the process that intensified until it felt as if dozens of bees had stuck their stings in his palm._

 _ **"I, to you, two thousand years from now. Seal away the other blood, I freed your flesh and blood from outer influences, I call your other gift. I reject the body and the mind, I call the soul and take over the Vessel, I call you the other blood, I freed your flesh and blood from outer influences, I call your other gift. "** Spoke the Shinigami while dozens of glows began to extend through the formulae threads, Naruto felt how each of them clawed into his body by means of the seal he now had in his hand. **"I bring the plague, I bring the doom. I consume the souls of sinners before they have the opportunity to reach the Pure Land, I faced the Sage of the Six Paths and I eventually defeated him, I am eternal, I am absolute, I find myself in all forms and I release and fulfill the promise of those who sworn me serfdom centuries ago. To you, two thousand years from now, the gift of the blessing that lies in the meaning of your kind is now your shield. I give you the means to endure."**_

 _And as he spoke, numerous cracks began to form in the flames that composed the barrel as if it were crystal and as the Death God spoke, the cracks were expanding more and more until the surfaces fragmented in perfect synchronization with the seals that the Reaper was forming with his free hand._

 _ **Mi (Snake)** → **Inoshishi (Boar)** → **Hitsuji (Ram)** → **Usagi (Rabbit)**_

 ** _" Ura Shiki Fūjin・Kai (Reverse Dead Demon Consuming Seal: Release)"_**

 _And just those words came out of the mouth of Death God, hell broke loose._

 _The barrier gave way to fragmentation in numerous sharp fractures that came to rest on the ground being pushed by authentic waves of dead people who were drawn towards the red stream in the space that used to be covered by the barrier, but before they could do anything to Approaching the blond, numerous sealing chains sprouted from the sleeves of the Shinigami keeping them at bay._

 _ **"Ghosts of the past!, Condemned to remain in the prison that you created for decades."** Called the Shinigami raising his free arm getting the hold of the horde of corpses barely reanimated and aware of their situation. **"I release you from your exile to fulfill the promise by which they shed the blood of their clan in the Land of the Swirls."**_

 _And then a dome-like barrier was formed by enclosing the blond and the goddess, allowing the horde of the dead to remain enclosed outside spinning round as if it were a living tide._

 _And inside of it, the Shinigami extracted his tantō leaving a slight slash on the surface of the dome and tracing a pair of characters that shone with the contact of the blade._

 ** _" Fūinjutsu・Sonshitsu Tamashī no Kuchi (Sealing Technique: Mouth of the Lost Soul)"_**

 _From the characters engraved by the Death God's blade, numerous sealing threads were spread out along the sides that ended around the dome in a short time before emitting a slight red glow and disappearing from the surface that changed until obtaining the same tonality._

 _And once they noticed that, the dead came much closer, extending their hands until they touched the barrier, realizing that their limbs could now pierce it, but what Naruto saw were nothing more than red blood-stained bones that had been shed before their death._

 _Dozens of bony hands extended through the barrier and all with the signatures intentions to catch it. The smiling skulls covered with blood soon appeared within the barrier and more and more joined the commotion._

 _ **"Take and devour all that is unclean, and let the blessed remain."** Continued the Shinigami with one of his hands still attached to that of the blond. " **Take out the external influence and substitute it with ours. Give him the known hell, so that he does not suffer whoever it meets."**_

 _And that was what they did, because the first skeleton that had managed to drag itself through the barrier and get close enough to get a bite to the blond's arm, who moved it just in time avoiding it, getting the skeleton snap its jaw in disapproval while it looked at him through its hollow sockets._

 _But in those same moments, another with more cunning had managed to sneak and try the same, this time trying with one of the feet getting a good piece of skin in the attempt which provoked a cry of pain on the part of the blond who try to Move your skin._

 _And in that, other skeletons managed to creep and launched themselves at the same time, preventing that the blond could try to avoid it and to obtain own bites._

 _"Ahh!" Naruto's cry of pain as he felt the curved and vicious teeth of the skeletons dig into his flesh and tear off pieces of it at the same time. He tried to resist, worse the position where they were with his hand attached to the Death God would not allow it and instead left him exposed to the martyrdom that was to feel like you were living a horde of skeletons to which each More and more. "S-stop t-this!"_

 _ **"Everything has a price, one way or another, Little Sacrifice."** Added the Shinigami obsessing as the blond continued to growl and sometimes groan in pain at the bites that the skeletons of those who had managed to cross the barrier. **"Your body will recover effortlessly, this is nothing compared to the hardships you will suffer. Your mind will be as strong as your body when it is over, I swear it by your blood and their blood."**_

 _Naruto did not seem to have heard, and instead, he was gritting his teeth and gasping for breath. And failing terribly in that, because it did not matter that so much tried to contain the sensation of the bites and the scratches were very real._

 _How long had it been since he'd touched that stupid mask in that temple? Or better yet, how long had it been since he had risen that very morning? It seemed days, but weeks, above all with the visions he had of the primitive abomination shaking the foundations of the world and its fall at the hands of that luminous being, the formation of the island and later archipelago that later would be called Uzu no Kuni and Its population by the Uzumaki. Centuries of history marked by the expansion of their barracks and battles waged against nearby enemies as well as the foundation of what would later be Uzushiogakure, the years of endurance and the visions of siege and fall ended by slaughter and desolation._

 _To have clear visions of those events as well as to be close to almost experiencing them, to receive the visit of hundreds of specters consumed by despair and hungry for their life force and a family reunion quite unorthodox._

 _And now? He no longer had words to describe what was happening to him. The blond only merely closed his eyes and waited as patiently as he could for the pain to end, which for his good fortune was not so distant._

 **xXx**

(Outside the Seal)

"This doesn't seem to be very promising, Danzō-sama" Commented the operative while checking the appearance of the skin of the jinchūriki, before somewhat tanned and now extremely pale and with sealing threads through his skin, all coming from the mask and releasing luminous pulses every certain interval. The Jinchūriki's own breaths now sounded choppy and his pulse was failing. It was clear that whatever it was that was doing the mask to the Jinchūriki, it was causing more harm than good.

Danzō narrowed his single visible eye but said nothing. Using the same sensory technique, he managed to detect numerous chakra spikes along the young Uzumaki's network, and all were coming from the mask. He verified how they were directed to the tissues where ended up nailed like needles releasing slight pulses that were manifested in the sealing chains coming from the mask and now engraved in the body of the boy.

 _'A seal-based genjutsu?'_ Though the Shinobi of the Darkness. The Illusory Arts were not much used by the Uzumaki Clan because of their high chakra reserves and special flow of the Yang type, which contrasted enormously with the Yin one that was required to elaborate all the techniques related to Genjutsu. The Uzumaki had never been like their cousins, the Senju, who stood out in all the Shinobi Arts, they had preferred to dedicate themselves to cultivate their own without worrying much for the rest.

Probably that was the arrogance that had killed them. It hadn't only been the kunai of the ninja of Kumo, Iwa, Suna, and Kiri.

"Channel some of your medical chakra to areas that seem to be affected. Avoid touching the formulas." Commanded Danzō as he prepared to extract something from his robe with his single free arm, an object that revealed itself as a kind of ornamented sphere with golden characters that showed only one meaning.

Calmly, the veteran pressed the most remarkable character allowing a bluish aura began to envelop the sphere signaling the presence of chakra. Then, Danzō only threw the sphere into the body of the jinchūriki, upon which the aura began to be absorbed as if it were the attracted to the threads much to the apparent surprise of the masked operative.

"Danzō-sama, what was that?" Haise asked from his place on the wall with his arms crossed and without his mask waiting for an indication. The bespectacled teenager maintained the same stoic expression on his face, the signature of a member of the Foundation, but he couldn't avoid raising an eyebrow after seeing how his master

had activated a kind of artifact only to throw it on the unconscious body of the Jinchūriki.

"It was nothing, Haise-kun." Answered Danzō in a much more neutral and devoid of emotion tone than his subordinate. "A reminder of a remote age that needed to serve its purpose."

 _'And in theory, it should do it. If it doesn't, extreme measures will have to be applied. '_ Mentally added Danzō looking at the figure of the blond still under the effects of whatever it was that the mask or seals within it were showing him.

 **xXx**

(Inside the Seal)

 _When he opened them, the skeletons were still inside the barrier, all in the same blood-colored tone decorating their bones. The dome had widened allowing the legion of the dead to have more space inside of it, along with the blond boy and the Death God._

 _"Is it over?" He hopefully asked, he no longer wanted to go through it. If it was not a dream or a nightmare, the least they could do would be letting him sleep a little. But those hopes collapsed like a house of cards when the Death God merely shook his head. Then Naruto noticed something else._

 _He was in some kind of circle, one filled with lots of characters and formulae with the aspect of serving for some type of sealing. There were all sorts, from the ones that appeared in the skin of the Shinigami with its exotic forms and tribal designs, to the elegant and regal strokes he had seen in his visions. In short, that seemed the most complex sealing array he had ever seen. With everything and his little knowledge in the matter._

 _ **"The last configuration, drawn in the spilled blood and connected through the marks left on your body is the only way to transmit the will that lies there."** Continued the Shinigami raising both arms while the legion of the dead simply remained static, devoid of life, like the mere puppets in which they were converted._

 _Naruto sadly wondered if Mito, Karashina, Kagura, and Ashina were among them, as was well as his mother or father._

 _He just nodded in silence with a new, firm expression on his face. He was not going to behave like a child in those moments, he had to stand firm, just as he had been told._

 _"When will it begin?" Asked the blond feeling as the temperature drops intensively, just like the first time in the barrier, that time when he had first seen the Shinigami. The smile that the Reaper had on his horrid face was disturbing, much more than his usual appearance. The blond also noticed that he seemed to have been executing a chain of hand seals and was about to form the last._

 _ **"Right now, Kaija Hōin (Evil Releasing Method)."** Spoke the Shinigami while finishing the last hand seal. And just like that, each of the thousands of characters that made up the sealing array that surrounded Naruto was activated releasing a dark purple wave that began to engulf the array._

 _Naruto took it back. Probably at that time he would have preferred to put up again with the skeletons that had a feast with his skin. Not like this, it seemed to him as if someone had thrown a bottle of Sake on him and then set him on fire with a Katon (Fire Release) jutsu._

 _Arching his back as he emitted a cry of pain, the dark violet flames around him only intensified and ran through his body but his presence did not last long, especially when they began to fade, giving space to the silhouettes of the approaching skeletons and whirling around like a red tide._

 _Each and every one of them continued to whirl around him, giving him the illusion of seeing himself in the middle of a giant swirl, one that was forming in a sea of spilled blood and with thousands of vertebrae as fishes while being illuminated by the light black flames that sprang from the mouth of the Shinigami who was approaching floating above the red tide like an authentic nightmare._

 _And suddenly, from that sea of dead, their voices were heard again and from time to time their true silhouettes could be seen, not the skeletal imitations that seemed to want to torment him._

 _Wither voices and consumed by multiple emotions that marked their humanity emerged from the red tide full of corpses._

 _ **"A long path awaits you, Remnant of the Leaf."** Spoke one of the voices, being an unknown woman before sinking in the crimson tide again to never be seen again._

 _"What?" Tried to ask Naruto while turning around, only to see how the silhouette that had spoken, had already disappeared without any trails left behind._

 _ **"The drums of war and flags of conflict will mark your life. The Great Tree's Foundation will be your own."** Spoke an old man with empty eyes and a long beard before drowning in the scarlet tide._

 _'Foundation?' Naruto thought before he watched as the tide rose and rose and continued to furiously whirl around him. The blond noticed that inside the apparent burn marks that his body now had, now there were some types of characters that seemed to have been engraved with fire on it._

 _ **"You will understand that not all treasures are wealth or knowledge, but when you do, it's cloudy to know at what exact moment you will see the light."** Spoke a child somewhat older than him with a hole in one of his eyes that stretched across the skull, as if something extremely sharp had been nailed there._

 _ **"You will create and destroy as you please with what you know. Your way will be shaped by the blood and bones of the fallen before your blade."** Added an unknown voice that was lost within the tide before the blond could identify who it belonged to._

 _ **"Useless oaths that you would never utter. Vassalage is only a step to wards nobility. Loyalty to the cause you like will not stray you from your unique path."** A warrior-like man spoke before getting lost in the scarlet waves. His silhouette was accompanied by a long spear with a slightly curved tip._

 _ **"The poison, which is the chakra of the beast and the affinity that you carry within you, will never completely consume you, and what does not kill you, will make you stronger."** Spoke another figure, the one of a young woman with the hair collected in two long pigtails. Her amethyst eyes gleamed between the ruby-colored wall that resembled dozens of dancing flames swirling until they lost their brightness and their wielder disappeared into the controlled waves._

 _If he could have seen it from above, just like the vision of the first configuration unfolding, what Naruto would see was nothing more than a whirlpool in the blood ocean and with him just in the middle of the vortex and the rest of the corpses being dragged by the powerful currents._

 _ **"We see a new era of conflict unfolding, the paragons of creation and destruction will once again face each other in a game of seats and a clash of shadows."** Spoke an old man who looked somewhat like Ashina with the exception that he did not carry the two curved swords on his back. **"A war where even the dead will not be able to peacefully rest and will be forced to fight as well as the children of the Divine Tree. A maelstrom of desolation with the spiral as a proud banner in the middle of everything."**_

 _'God Tree?' Though Naruto remembering the myths he used to hear as sleeping stories and then ventured to read on his own. He knew it was something important, but for some reason, he could not remember._

 _But before he had more opportunity to remember, a tickling began to spread through his body and watched as the new sealing-looking marks etched into his body began to slightly lighten._

 _'W-what is this?' He wondered as he tried to inspect himself again to be interrupted by another voice._

 _ **"The Leaf, the Mist, the Cloud, the Stone or the Sand. It does not matter the one you decide to serve, do not forget your origins and make our name remembered again."** Spoke this time Kagura, whose silhouette appeared almost completely and disappeared as fast as she had arrived only to disappear in the same way._

 _And with those words, one of the seals ended up completely illuminated._

 _ **"The words that you are receiving are yours to reflect on as you wish. A good thing, a bad thing, it does not matter. All of that is merely subjective. History will judge it."**_

 _Another one of the seals was activated, tracing a bluish line towards another as the tide continued to furiously spin, dragging the remaining corpses, from which emerged another voice._

 ** _"Understanding, that is what the Devourer has bestowed you as a gift, a superior tool to almost any power this world has ever seen. The greatest weapon of a Shinobi will always be the Mind."_**

 _The next seal was active releasing a slight bluish aura that began to wrap the body of the blonde very much to the surprise of the one who could only wonder that other things were happening while the words of the dead were recorded in his memory as ink on paper._

 ** _"The Maelstrom will intensify and envelop the whole world, no one will be exempt from suffering such effects, those will be the inevitable results, thousands of souls will perish on the way, only the flow of how it will happen can be changed."_**

 _Naruto leaned in to feel an intense pain in his back where the next mark had been activated. His azure eyes flashed slightly as he raised his head with a feral grunt._

 _And then, from the crimson currents that whirled furiously at the lathe eddy's rhythm, five figures began to slowly form and began to take shape until they emerged from the currents, manifesting themselves in bodies resembling vessels._

 _Each one took a different form. A dragon whose appearance resembled that of a seahorse, a tortoise with a thick shell and enormous size, a bird of majestic and elegant plumage, who fluttered its wings before settling them, a massive serpent with golden scales, and a lean and slender white tiger._

 _However, they shared a common trait. In their faces or if that could be called like that, there was a white mask with the features that identified them as the animals they represented._

 _They were Masked Beasts._

 _"W-what?" Tried to say Naruto looking at the five silhouettes that surrounded him. "What is this?"_

 _And those beasts slowly advanced around Naruto, surrounding him from five different flanks._

 _ **"Adapt like Water. Change like a current and take all the forms you want without ever losing your essence. Never limit yourself in any field."** Said the Azure Dragon._

 _ **"Stand still like Earth. Stand firm and secure as a rock in your convictions. Be like a mountain to others, impassable and imposing."** Continued the Black Tortoise._

 _ **"Illuminate like Fire, may your will burn like a flame and illuminate the path of others, take into account that the fire shines stronger in the darkness."** Followed the Vermillion Bird._

 _ **"Strike like Lightning, quick and lethal as a spark, show the power you'll get once you've finished wielding it."** Continued the Golden Viper._

 _" **Rise like the Wind. Live freely like a blizzard. Show your calm or unleash your fury like a gale."** Finished the White Tiger._

 _ **"Change like a Whirpool. Be unpredictable and relentless as one, prove again why vortexes are so deadly."** Stated another voice, Naruto raised his head only to detect the sixth figure. An angelic priestess with flowing robes and translucent ribbons floating around her figure._

 _" **Endure like a Shinobi. Even if you live through more than a thousand battles and despair consumes you, resist and advance, the meaning of what millions of men and women are, what it means to offer the greatest sacrifice."**_

 _And finally, the well-known voice of the Shinigami said at the distance until its horrifying form was made present in the heights. Blood tendrils rose from the whirlpool wrapping around the Reaper only to be dissipated, showing that the Death God's appearance had changed._

 _Gone were the white robes, now replaced by black ones. The same could be said about the tantō, which was now a long scythe. His face had been covered, just like the other entities with a mask, but this one gave a skeleton-like motive to the Death God._

 _ **"No,"** Naruto said, but with a voice that wasn't of his own, his azure eyes turned purple for a moment and his spiky blond hair turned straight and crimson blood. **"Not only another one, I don't wish to live like the rest of them ... On top of the Whirling Tides, I shall stand as the strongest ... I shall become the strongest among the shinobi ..."**_

 _And then the vortex of blood that surrounded them increased in speed as many tendrils sprang from the currents to join the now red-haired child whose bangs covered his face while bowing slightly, only to raise it violently when a greater number of blood threads were nailed on his body as if it were needles._

 _ **"Take and adapt,"** He heard a voice projecting into his mind through the blood that entered his body. **" Rise and fall,"** He heard again, this time from a different voice as the fiery images of Uzushio's Fall appeared in his mind. **"Live and die."** It was the third voice, showing the most remarkable and horrible visions of deaths, but not only of the Uzumaki, also of those of old and fallen enemies._

 _ **"Avoid like a plague the One-Eyed."** He heard while he saw how from the reddish mist emerged an immense silhouette of which stood a giant eye with nine tomoe engraved that whirled furiously as blades. The same symbol engraved on the red moon. **"The Serpent, the Dawn and the Ghosts from the Past."** The silhouettes of a monstrous white snake with a body made up of hundreds of smaller ones opening their maws and revealing rows of poisonous fangs, that of a group of people with unrecognizable features rising from the darkness as the sun emerged behind them. Finally, the other unknown forms appearing among the midst of the fog._

 _Naruto shouted again as he felt as the symbols engraved on his body were compacted leaving every drop of the immense blood torrent that constituted the maelstrom where he was, whose level seemed to have dropped drastically._

 ** _"Live in the shadows or in the light. Sit upon the boned-built throne of the men or destroy it by whatever means."_**

 _He looks up as the crimson color retracted from his hair leaving it with its original color and the same thing happened to his eyes. The seven masked beings floated around him, with the five divine beasts beneath and the two divine priests floating above them._

 _ **"Remember the Day of the Red Moon's Whirling Tides."** He heard again the hundreds of voices as the blood entered his body, " **Take retribution of the kind that thou desire. Strive for the throne of the men built upon heavens or earth. Became the symbol of godhood beneath the realms of despair, whirl around for your own purpose."** And then, the voices of the dead , being transmitted by the streams of blood ceased before it resurfaced again in unison._

 _ **"That's our will."** The voices said at the same time and coming from the mouth of Naruto whose eyes lightened slightly upon feeling the possession. **"That's our legacy."**_

 _And the marks engraved on his body lit up at the same time emitting a bluish pulse that ended up consuming the ocean of blood around, whose remnants revealed themselves to be little more than bones that sank into the earth. With one last cry, Naruto fell on the ground breathing hard while the marks representing the seals engraved on his skin shone for the last time before dissipating as if they had never existed. And before the child could close his eyes completely, he seemed to see for the last time the phantom silhouettes of the Uzumaki projecting through the wasteland with the Shinigami in the center of them, this time with its authentic form and not the container that he had viewed along the Masked Vessels, who had already disappeared._

 _ **"That's our gift to you."** They continued as their voices dug into his consciousness like a thousand needles. **"That's our chance and yours too."**_

 _If someone there was endowed with the blessing of a Dōjutsu such as the Byakugan or even in a lesser case, the Sharingan, he or she would have noticed that inside the head of the blond, a great quantity of chakra was molded until acquiring the form of a character engraved in the cranium. A character that emits the last brightness before it faded into oblivion._

 ** _"If you want to know the truth, follow the trail left in red waters, where it lies the island full of ashes. Come to the end and enter into the pit of the fallen. Carry both the Death-Dealers and the Fire Shadow's head and proudly stand as the almighty receives such wealth. See through Death's eyes how the lost city recovers and sit along the nine dead lords in the last dinner. Don't be ever afraid of the Rising."_**

 _But completely oblivious to that, the blond closed his azure eyes completely before losing consciousness. Only to see the gaunt silhouette of the Death God approaching through the air while one last thing was mentioned by his gaunt voice._

 ** _"It's done."_**

 **xXx**

(Outside the Seal.)

For much of the medics surprise. Seeing how the Jinchūriki's vital signs were stabilizing was something unique for him. Being a major figure as a member of the Medical Corps, he hadn't had the opportunity to become a complete Root pawn, but that hardly meant that he was free of not serving as a special operative, which was the case in those moments.

Ignoring all of that, the Iryō-nin narrowed his eyes while making a quick diagnosis about the body of the young Jinchūriki who for all technical terms, hadn't given signs of life for about a minute.

It was truly amazing the kind of monster. No, superhuman the child was. Being almost obligatory, the study about chakra properties was something that had accompanied him through most of his Medical Ninja carrier. It had led him to learn that not everyone could contain the chakra beasts that were the Bijū. Certain genes, as well as potent chakra in a specific and at a certain age, were required so that the body of the host could withstand the beast chakra's toxicity.

The art of creating poisons was one of the oldest doctrines in the Shinobi Arts, it could be said that it was even older. In modern days, it was rarely practiced often, but those who came from the villages that had the most bloodthirsty reputation such as Suna, Kiri and Kusa could claim that it was still used, equal in fabrication as in employment, Amegakure was not so far in those aspects, with their shinobi being constantly hired for assassination missions.

But for any expert, both in the manufacture and in the treatments against those substances, it was common knowledge that there were few mixtures or exotic ingredients that were able to equal the toxicity of a Bijū's chakra which was corrosive enough to burn and eventually corrode any type of organic tissue and in many cases even metals and other types of resistant minerals.

Even among successful vessels, the side effects soon showed up. If their own reserves didn't increase or lost intensity, the chakra of the beast itself, sealed within their bodies, consumed them from within gradually replacing their reserves with poisonous residues of that energy. And the effects were not pleasant. Not only did they weakened the tissues, they also stimulated the cell cycle and allowed a multiple division of those, causing the body to age faster than it should.

Few were the Jinchūriki who had the fortune of living more than forty years.

But this child, who contained the undoubtedly strongest of those living natural disasters, had not only successfully contained the beast but also gradually assimilated any waste from it without any danger. That gave him a certain regenerative power as well as the development of somewhat increased senses.

He had read and heard rumors that some clans had reserves of powerful chakra and suitable to serve as carriers, especially some who lived in what used to be the Hidden Eddy Village, so t wasn't that far-fetched to assume that the boy was a lost descendant from them and their genetic heritage had greatly benefited him.

Although there was also the possibility that it had been the work of the Yondaime, who was an indisputable master of the Sealing Arts and who had been in charge of sealing the great beast inside the child five years ago with a technique that was cast at the cost of his life. It was possible that those assimilations were because of modifications by the blonde Hokage, but he had no way of knowing.

Fūinjutsu was a pretty esoteric art and also quite far from his understanding. He only knew the basic principles of sealing and unsealing an object within a scroll.

"What have you analyzed?" Danzō asked in his neutral tone from behind.

The medic merely adjusted his glasses before removing both hands from the body. "Unexpectedly, his vital signs have been restored almost immediately, I can see how the chakra spike in his system has completely disappeared just like the pulses that were disrupting his network." Explained the operative while putting on his mask again, "Whatever happened to him in there, has completely ceased."

Danzō raised a single eyebrow and repeated the same hand seals to activate the sensory technique. It was true, there was no trace of foreign chakra in the Jinchuuriki's body and even the formula threads had weakened, remaining as mere conductive filaments devoid of all purpose. Even the connection they had with the mask that still rested on the blond's face had been finished.

"Remove the mask, it is likely that the ritual is over."Ordered the elder while concentrating on his technique, trying to detect something more without any success while his subordinate obeyed removing the piece of porcelain from the jinchūriki's face before placing it delicately on the floor.

Said face was a little pale and had thick drops of sweat running down his forehead, but his eyes remained closed giving the impression that he was sleeping or unconscious, and he was.

 _'His natural activity is slowly stabilizing. It seems that he was exposed to a great deal of stress, but his unique system neutralized such a crisis in an extremely short period of time.'_ The doctor observed as he continued to examine, _'It's horrifying to see how much resiliency he has but now I can clearly see why Danzō-sama has so much interest in him behind Hokage-sama's back. With the proper training, this child could become a force to be reckoned. '_

While the operative thought that, his master was analyzing the mask at a very respectful distance. Although his subordinate hadn't suffered anything by removing it from the face of the Uzumaki, Danzō preferred not to take any risk, he hadn't reached his age for nothing after all, which was also part of the reason why he was currently using the same technique to study more deeply the seals engraved on the mask, at a safe distance, of course.

He noticed that one of the main arrays had dissipated while the formulae that connected it with the rest had separated and joined the others until they were assimilated.

 _'So it could only be used once, huh?'_ Though the Shinobi of the Darkness remembering the words of his former partner about the mask and its unique properties. Certainly, Karashina hadn't exaggerated or lied about its abilities.

He also noticed a large amount of chakra sealed inside the central character in the porcelain mask. An extremely dark and disturbing chakra amount whose mere touch was able to drain your own life force. Danzō suppressed a grimace when he identified what was contained in that particular seal.

 _'Surprising.'_ Danzō though as he took one last look at that hidden seal. _'They really did bound it to the mask. To think what they could have acquired if not for the fall.'_

But before he could continue to admire that work of art, the voice of his subordinate interrupted him announcing the Jinchuuriki's state. Apparently, he was stabilizing faster than he was supposed to and would probably regain consciousness soon, which would force them to move.

"Then, we are going to move to the main lair." Ordered Danzō before tapping the floor with his cane, calling two other masked agents of him who bowed after appearing in two Shunshin no Jutsu (Body-Flicker Technique). Danzō ordered them to help transport the unconscious Jinchūriki, which they did, only to disappear in the same way, leaving the elder with his other two subordinates alone in the temple.

Haise emerged from the shadows and kept his arms folded behind his back as he stood beside Danzō. A gesture that was imitated by the operative that had served as a medic.

"Do we move too, Danzō-sama?" Haise asked in his neutral tone, which had nothing to envy the one of his master who responded in the same way.

"In the same place, Haise, Magire-kun." Indicated Danzō before disappearing in his own version of the Shunshin followed quickly by the other two leaving the room empty, with the mask that contained the Death God sealed inside and the moon whose light filtered through a skylight in the ceiling as the only witnesses of the scene.

 **xXx**

(Unknown Location: Root's Underground Base.)

Of course, after an experience like that, it was logical for one to have a clouded mind, unable to properly process something new for a while. Other people would have succumbed to the pressure, leaving the mind and therefore the body useless. It could be said that even death was a near probability in those terms. But fortunately for descendants of the Uzumaki Clan, resilience was child's play compared to other.s

That's why Naruto took only a few hours to regain consciousness and open his eyes. He prepared to sit up quickly, not noticing that he was only a few inches from a kind of low ceiling, managing to take a big blow to the temple.

SMACK

Naruto fell back to bed with a slight sore growl as he rubbed his temple mentally cursing not to have seen where he was lying. But once he was done, his azure eyes began to analyze his new surroundings, which he was perfectly sure weren't part of the rundown-temple where he was sure he had been.

 _'How did I get here?'_ Though the blond somewhat confused. Was it possible that someone had seen him unconscious and had taken him somewhere thinking that he was sick or something? If so, why wasn't him in the hospital? He had never been there before, but he was sure it did not look like some kind of dark cellar with low ceilings.

"Oh, are you awake? It was much sooner than expected." Heard Naruto behind him, only to find a silhouette four heads taller than his, which was recharged on the wall. Dressed in the same uniform as the ANBU of the village but with a mask without features with the exception of a single character engraved on the forehead.

Of course, Naruto was startled to meet that.

"Ah! Who are you and what are you doing here ?!" Asked the blond pointing to the masked before realizing something, "Or rather, where I am?!"

The operative didn't seem to show signs of having listened to him and merely limited himself to adjust a device in his ear before mumbling something to an extension of it.

Naruto dosed himself to try to talk again only to hear as a door opened as well as well as the footsteps of other people entering the room. He had to blink slightly as he noticed how the light was lit revealing the silhouettes of the newcomers.

"A single impulse was enough. I mentioned it a few hours ago." Spoke a somewhat familiar voice and Naruto had to suppress a gesture of surprise on his face.

It was the same old man from the library and he wasn't alone. Behind him were three other people. A teenager with hair as black as the night and reading glasses with thin crystals. A trenchcoat of the same color as his trousers and a T-shirt constituted his clothes. The only thing that didn't share the same uniform color was his pale skin and the red gloves he wore. The second was much taller than his partner and possessed a strange blue mark on his cheek, sunshades concealed his eyes and a hood covered a large part of his head showing only the face. The third was a tall man of light-complexion with shaggy black hair. He had a narrow jaw-line with pronounced cheekbones and stubble face. He wore a black kimono. However, something visibly upsetting was their three blank faces.

There was something in the aura of the three, something that made Naruto quickly identify what they were. Shinobi. Just like the old man who led them and stood in front of them.

"You." Said Naruto even with the surprise on his face. Of all things we definitely expected this. But it had been that man who had indirectly revealed the truth and brought him to live the past experience. He had no idea how he had known that, but he needed answers.

"It was necessary." Remarked Danzō tapping the floor with his cane. Naruto's eyes narrowed as his pupils seemed to dilate at that. Within his mind, his vision extended allowing him to see numerous luminous marks hidden in the walls as well as within the present people.

Noticing that, a slight pulse of chakra was emitted by the room, which made the bespectacled black-haired teen narrow his eyes and places his right hand inside his trench coat as if he were ready to extract something from there only to be stopped by Danzō's hand gesture.

 _'A Sensor-Type'_ Though Danzō, he clearly did not expect that. _'So the ritual allowed him to acquire other extra skills. I wonder which others were gifted to him '_ "We are not here to fight. Do not rush, we are in the same darkness as you, we have no idea what you saw."

It wasn't exactly the truth, but neither a lie. Besides that Naruto had no way of knowing that in the same way.

And seeing the questioning look of the boy, Danzō knew what he had to do.

"Leave us alone," He commanded his subordinates. Immediately, two of them disappeared in a swirl of leaves but the third, one of the spectacles just walked towards the door not before giving an empty look to Naruto who did not lose sight of him until he completely disappeared by the threshold.

Once the door closed, Naruto turned his gaze toward the elder in front of him. He could sense a wave of uneasiness coming from the old man. His very own presence was full of authority; It was almost the antithesis of the aura of his surrogate grandfather figure. His voice was serious and elderly, but full of authority and discipline. It was surely the voice of someone who was fond of displaying orders around.

Danzō, for his part, silently analyze the figure of the young jinchūriki in front of him. At first glance, there were not many changes compared to the child he had watched at a distance through his agents. A child with a mischievous aura around him and with eyes full of brightness. Someone who could not seem to be devoid of movement.

The one in front of him looked calmer and collected. His eyes were dull and sharp at the same time if such thing could be described. Whatever the thing he had seen during his stay in the pocket dimension, it was clear that he had made an impact on the psyche of the jinchūriki.

"Forgive Haise-kun, his prudence is a double-edged sword of which he is very proud," Spoke Danzō, "But this time we are out of any intervention."

"Who are you?" Naruto asked as his azure eyes regained their previous brightness and seemed to pierce the elder with his gaze.

Seeing that, Danzō knew what he had to do.

"I am the previous Commander of the **Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai (Special Assassination and Tactical Squad)** and the  Fūton (Wind Release) Master of Konohagakure. You may call me, Danzō Shimura."

 _'Shimura, Shimura'_ Mentally repeated Naruto before his eyes widened a bit remembering Karashina's words.

 _"There should not be many on the Leaf who knows the ways of our Clan. Decades have passed since our fall, but if there is one person you can trust to perfectly know our ways and I am sure that is still around, is Danzō_ _Shimura. Do not be surprised if you can't find him, he's usually the one who does it before you know it. "_

"H-he told me about you." Said Naruto still shocked. If he knew more, he would dare to say that the Shinigami should have added someone else to the list of people capable of seeing the future. Ugh, those two even had the same golden eyes.

Now it was Danzō's turn to be surprised, but decades of preparation allowed him to hide it behind a mask of indifference that could give the Hyūga Elders a run for their money.

"Who?" He asked with an eyebrow raised.

"Karashina Uzumaki." Answered Naruto while blinking, "He said that you were the only person that knows their ways and would still be around."

 _'This is unexpected,'_ Though Danzō, _'Of all the things that would happen in that ritual, the one that him being able to communicate with the dead did not seem to be on that list.'_ But he preferred to confirm than to assume without reason. "I take that you spoke to him, isn't it?"

The slight nod that was given to him by the blond was enough for the gears began to spin inside the head of the elder who seemed to start connecting the dots until stumbling with the possible truth.

 _'So they actually somehow managed to seal the consciousness of some of them within the mask. But this one was here when the Fall happened, how could they have done it? '_ Danzō wondered mentally, suppressing an impulse to shake his head, he had other more important things to attend at for the moment.

"Why I'm here?" Naruto asked cautiously. He knew that escape could not be a viable option. The man in front of him, regardless of how fragile he looked, certainly wasn't weak. The aura of power he emitted made him rather tense, and that was without counting the fact that there were other four men, who were accompanying him before, they looked experimented and ready to incapacitate him if they were given the order.

"Despite your incredible physical resilience, it was not advisable to leave you in the open as you recovered from the effects of having the **Shinigami no Men (Mask of the Death God)** stuck to your face for a long time. A few analyzes by medics at my service were in charge of verifying that there were no side effects that would affect your health." Danzō answered without any trace of hesitation in his face, so Naruto could not read anything on it and had no choice but believe him.

Seeing the question that was about to emerge from the blond lips, Danzō hastened to reply, "The mask is still in its place of the temple. There is no point in moving it from its place when it is very likely that the only person in the world that is capable of using it is you. "

Hearing that, Naruto calmed down a little and his eyes picked up a little more of their previous brightness. _'W-why did I suddenly worry about that?'_ He wondered, for a minute, the fact that he had acted as someone else.

Danzō closed his single visible eye for a moment before opening it and glanced at the jinchūriki who waited for him to speak. "I know that you have many questions, I can see it in your eyes, but first it would be appropriate for you to relate what happened to you during the ritual, and once you have done that, I will answer your questions and even explain the gaps you did not understand."

Naruto nodded, finding the agreement just before he closed his eyes in the same way and began to relate.

He told him about how he had read the page of that book that contained the most detailed information he had seen of the Uzumaki Clan and how he had remembered that he had encountered that symbol beforehand for a whole year. Naruto continued with his decision to go back to that temple to investigate, how he found the mask and had done the trick to try to activate the marks of the place. From there he happened to be trapped by the formula threads that had sprung from the mask and his journey as a spectator on the great plain where he saw the foundations of the world and the great destruction of a monstrosity of remote times as well as its fall. He spoke of the eventual formation of the islands that would later be part of the archipelago that would receive the name of Whirlpool Country, he also spoke about the colonization of the Uzumaki on the island and its continuous battles with pesky neighbors and opportunist invaders for an extremely long period of time until the founding of Uzushiogakure through the great war to culminate in the siege and massacre that he had contemplated in first person.

From there, he ordered to narrate the best of those horrid scenes and ended up getting to the part where he had been surrounded by the souls of his relatives killed in that slaughter.

He described the laments they uttered and their numerous opinions about the Fall, followed by the encounters with the four most recognizable ones: Mito, Ashina, Karashina and Kagura. He talked about having been confirmed to be one of them as well as the ritual in which Naruto had the misfortune to be face to face with the Destroyer of Worlds as well as to hear the macabre truth after the transmission ritual of the Uzumaki Will as well as the price of their arrogance for crossing the boundaries in the past.

He described the visions he had had of those eddies in the sea of blood and the walls covered with black flames as well as the skeletons covered with rotting remnants that had brutally bit his skin again and again. He also did the same with those arising from the swirling tide of the same color of blood and the masked vessels that had whispered mysterious advice and messages of prophetic aspect.

The only thing Naruto did not mention was the Shinigami's comments about the flow of the future and the great calamity that would strike the world in the future. He didn't think that was that credible. Hell, even he couldn't completely believe everything that had happened.

"They said they didn't care about what would I do with that knowledge. All they asked was to be remembered." Finished Naruto suddenly looking a bit more mature to be a five year old.

Danzō nodded, "Karashina was an old colleague of mine from years ago. One of his last messages was about the mask and a possible reserve plan in case they could not survive the Siege." Said the Shinobi of the Darkness remembering those times very well. "Konoha could not do much to help your clan, with the exception of sending a few platoons for help. I was in charge of some of those regiments and had the opportunity to fight in the Siege when Kumo's Kinkaku Butai disembarked."

"Why did you give me the clue indirectly, Shimura-san?" Naruto asked a bit uncomfortable when using the suffix. He was not someone to use such formal language.

Danzō did not answer immediately and only hit the ground with his cane three times. Naruto sensed a chakra spike forming and looked amazed as a formulae thread appeared beneath the ground until it connected to the wall and opened a kind of compartment.

In that recess, there was a gigantic and completely enveloped scroll. The leather tome seemed to be firmly secured, and various ornate characters decorated it. But what attracted most attention was the same red swirl stoned on the deck as a kind of lock.

Before Naruto could ask, Danzō stopped him with a hand gesture.

"Sacrifice, to be able and willing to sacrifice your own life for the sake of your cause. Such is the life of a shinobi." Spoke Danzō. "It is a path that can lead you to see the greatest darkness in the world and give you the worst hardships you would ever wish on anyone. Many say that in the past it was worse, but in reality, nothing has changed. Trying to find it is what makes one truly free. Protecting something and giving it all for that is just another example."

"The same could be said about the Whirlpool Clan." Continued Danzō, "Despite being outnumbered, they still choose to fight to the very end, taking on the act, countless of the enemy's lives. Such was the bravery and devotion of the Uzumaki Clan. That bond that was brutally severed, they also left us with their final blessing. We would never be able to pay the back for that sacrifice. " He spoke with his usual tone; However, Naruto could detect a bit of admiration in his voice.

If Naruto hadn't received the memories of that bloody massacre and would not have been exposed to the Will, he would have released some childlish comment as if his Clan was very badass for taking out several enemies with them. Worse he knew very well that that was not so true.

"This is the little that could be saved from the Siege." Said Danzō, "It can only be opened in the same way that the mask ritual was activated."

"Then the remnants were not completely lost." Commented Naruto swinging his legs nervously. "Their sacrifice would give me a reason to have a new impulse, right? That's why he gave me the clue, to reconnect that? "

Danzō's gaze made him stop and swallow. No, there was one more motive, but which one? The gears in his mind began to spin as his eyes widened as he remembered something that for a moment seemed to have forgotten.

"What I'm about to tell you is something that is recorded as an SS-rank secret." Said Danzō, his tone had become more serious suddenly and made Naruto focus all his attention. "The truth about why people do not want to acknowledge you."

That made Naruto's eyes narrow. For years he had always wanted to know the reason and after not finding it, he had dedicated himself to search for his own answers on his own. And so far, he had discovered that he was probably the last remnant of a previous great clan. But this? It was probably something more closely related to his own being.

"It seems that your ancestors didn't reveal you on the seal about what you are if everything that you narrated is right, they gave you a few clues but they never mentioned it completely, so I think the responsibility to say it should fall on myself ." The elder continued, noticing the attention the soon-to be aware jinchūriki was giving to him. Mentally nodding, he prepared to release the truth. He was more than aware that this could completely affect the child's psyche, so he decided to take a slight detour first to sensitize the impact.

"What do you know about Bijū?" Asked Danzō, getting a confused look from the blonde, which made the elder continue.

"Long before the founding of the hidden villages, during the Age of the Warring States and even long before that, nine titanic living forms of chakra roamed the earth. Monstrous abominations of immeasurable power and feared by everyone. They were more akin to natural disasters than mere monsters." Narrated Danzō, "Their exact classification, which was given by scholars of the past ages was that of **Chakura no Bakemono (Chakra Monsters)** , but over time, they ended being commonly called **Bijū (Tailed Beasts)**."

"Like the Yōkai of some legends?" Naruto asked suddenly feeling somewhat sick. Those words reminded him too much of the Shinigami and his talk of the remnants of that great primordial abomination of many names.

Danzō raised an eyebrow at that term and shook his head. "Unlike the myths told by the civilian elders and the performers, you will find that the Bijū are very real." The elder said, "Their power is such that in the past, some men tried to fight them multiple times fearing that such power would be used against them. And ironically, that's how it went for some years."

"The Shodaime Hokage, using his mythical powers, managed to subdue all the beasts with the exception of the **Ichibi no Tanuki (One-Tailed Racoon Dog)** a few years after the creation of the villages." The elder continued, "His purpose was to distribute the beasts to the rest of the villages with the intention of creating a balance between the rising military powers. Needless to say, he did not achieve what he was looking for."

At the questioning look of Naruto, Danzō let out a mental sigh before continuing. The child was going to need more education. "With the Bijū in their hands, it was logical that all the superpowers would try to use their power for their own ends. And copying the techniques used by your clan based on many attempts and mistakes, they finally managed to create living weapons that would end representing the military strength of a village. "

Danzō approached the wall where the map described above was located and pointed a point to the south.

"Each of the villages, with the exception of Sunagakure, received two tailed beasts. The Ichibi remained the property of that village while the **Nibi no Bakeneko (Two-Tailed Monster Cat)** and the **Hachibi no Kyogyū (Eight-Tailed Giant Ox) ** ended up in Kumogakure. The **Sanbi no Kyodaigame (Three-Tailed Giant Turtle)** and the **Rokubi no Namekuji (Six-Tailed Slug)** ended up in Kirigakure's hands while the **Yonbi no Saru (Four-Tailed Monkey)** and the **Gobi no Iruka-Uma (Five-Tailed Horse-Dolphin)** became part of Iwagakure. Only the **Shichibi no Kabutomushi (Seven-Tailed Rhinoceros Bettle) ** was given to another non-Big Five villages: T **akigakure no Sato (Village Hidden in the Waterfall)** " Recited Danzō before narrowing his single visible eye.

"Eh, but aren't those just eight?" Naruto pointed out after noticing that detail. "What about the ninth?" He asked.

He knew he would regret it when he detected a kind of chakra fluctuation. He could have no idea of those technical terms, but that hardly prevented him from perceiving it. The Shinobi of the Darkness's gaze was completely dull.

"What do you know about **Kyūbi no Yōko (Nine-Tailed Demon Fox)**?" He asked while realization hit Naruto like a hammer whose mouth formed a small 'o' in understanding.

The blond gulped before sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Um, I just knew it was a demon that attacked the village a few years ago. It was a horrifying monster that killed a lot of people and caused a lot of destruction in its wake, all of that in my ... birthday." That word had something bitter in his voice. Those had never had been very happy days and according to the words of all adults who knew him, it was not advisable for him to go out on the street that day. "I also know that the Yondaime Hokage managed to kill it at the cost of his life, saving the village in the process."

Danzō's expression didn't change at all. "That's the official story," He said putting sudden emphasis on 'official'. "The story told to the people and the younger generation, all to keep the truth out of being propagated."

Naruto didn't like that tone. He detected negative pulsations with his new sense and intuited that something was wrong.

"As I said before, Bijū are creatures fully made of chakra, which is the mixture of spiritual and physical energy, but it is still energy and as such, it cannot be completely destroyed. " Sentenced Danzō tapping the floor with his cane,"Even if you killed the Bijū, its chakra would eventually rejoin again and would end up forming the beast. It is likely that the process would take years, no one has known for certain whether it has happened before, or not, but what it is known is that the Bijū truly live up to their fame of being unstoppable. "

So, apparently, that demon, giant chakra beast or whatever it was hadn't died? In that case, what had happened to it? Asked Naruto to himself. Little did he knew that the answer was on the way.

"That night our greatest forces could barely even stall the Bijū, in the end, the Yondaime intervened on our behalf, at the cost of his life ...and the sacrifice of innocence. In the face of our destruction, the Yondaime chose the only option available. " Declared Danzō, "I was there that night, I was there when the strength of our village was measured by the will of one man. He did what Konoha had refused to do for generations by creating a line between the other villages and us. " Then, he took another deep breath before finally saying it.

 _"He sealed it."_

And when he finished saying that, his gaze fixed on Naruto as indicating something, which made the blond's azure eyes wide open and for the nth time in the day, he noticed something else. It seemed that all he had lived until that moment was a mere facade with multiple layers that were being brutally detached one by one.

 _"The last of our kin, being no more than one of our most disastrous creations. Speaking of irony."_

 _"'We came here to be the vessels of the Nine-Tails ... But before that, we must find love and fill the vessel with it.' Those are the words I said to your mother, to my great granddaughter years ago. You'll have to find another way to control it. If you use the power that is not yours, only hatred will come from it. Keep it tranquil, deep inside of you. "_

 _"Everything has a price, Little Sacrifice."_

 _"I see he's still asleep, it must be the influence of the Shinigami, but do not worry, I'm sure you'll eventually find a way to ..."_

 _"Mito, you better let him find out for himself. He did a good job with us."_

 _"You will find out in due course, believe us, you will need space inside that little head if you want to receive that."_

 _"Those who have received my mark and did not call me nor were cursed by the same technique. And you, Little Sacrifice, you are the perfect example of that sort of unique people."_

 _"Check your belly then, Little Sacrifice, do you really think that the woman only channeled chakra in that area by pure coincidence?"_

 _"We came here to become the Vessels ... But first, you need to fill it with love and understanding, both rare treasures in this cruel but beautiful world."_

 _"From your very birth, you were own fate has been marked by the very same art that your kin devoted their times and lives. You are destined to walk a living seal until you become a soiled corpse and even after Death, you will join them. "_

 _"You, who contain one of the Deidarabotchi's remnants, who is cursed with the burden of one having one of the Six Paths remains trapped in your body, mind, and soul, you who will become the new and last carrier of the Whirlpool's Will."_

 _"The poison, which is the chakra of the beast and the affinity that you carry within you, will never completely consume you, and what doesn't kill you will make you stronger"_

And it was true. The Vessel term used by Mito, the Sacrifice one of the Reaper, an allusion to the Nine-Tailed beast, the seal engraved on his stomach and the words of the Shinigami about his mark. That explained more and more, all those traits had been mere dots now connected by the revelations. He had been in the dark for a long time, and the light was coming from the spiral that called him home.

"I ... I am a ..." He tried to say.

"You were the necessary sacrifice, to ensure the safety of the village." Danzō cut in abruptly. "A Jinchūriki, the power of human sacrifice. The power and pinnacle of a village's ability and the ultimate tool available for a Kage. "

"Why?" Asked Naruto. "Why me and no one else?"

When he did not receive an answer, he felt as if something inside was twisting and his body was slightly tensing before calming. He never noticed, but Danzō did. His single visible eye saw the slight cracks that had formed on the ground beneath the feet of the newly revealed jinchūriki with a slight rise of chakra.

 _'In the future, his own chakra might be capable of causing far more damage.'_ Mentally reasoned Danzō as he looks at the slight damage on the floor and decided that he would need to choose carefully for his next words.

"I mentioned that the rest of the villages managed to create living weapons with the Bijū they received. I also said that they did it based on one of your clan creations, which is the same you are." Continued Danzō, "A **Jinchūriki (Power of Human Sacrifice)** is a human who has a Bijū sealed inside his body in an attempt to keep the beast under control and if possible, use its powers as a military asset. They are selected at a certain age for the sealing and hold that burden until the day of their deaths, where that charge is passed to another. Not everyone is suited to be one because the powerful chakra and beast's presence are able to corrode and slowly kill the bodies of those who cannot bear it as well as to deteriorate their minds and plunge them into madness."

Naruto tilted his head trying to understand while inside, he was a bundle of nerves. To think of what could have happened if he had not been part of the 'suitable ones'. Even more, what was the reason why he was considered one of them?

"One of the requirements for that is that the vessel needs to have a powerful chakra of his own or that the seal that is used is very powerful." Continued Danzō. "A long time ago..."

Naruto listened as Danzō told him about the battle that had been fought between the First Hokage and a man named Madara Uchiha, who had been the former leader of said Clan. It was a tale in which the apparent ancient patriarch of the Uchiha had managed to take control of the Kyūbi and use his power as an edge during the fight, only to be defeated by the Hokage and finally killed. Then he talked about how the Shodai, seeing the titanic power of the Kyūbi, had preferred to keep it under the control of someone else so that it wouldn't cause more meaningless destruction.

"His wife, one of the most powerful kunoichi of the era and a great Fūinjutsu mistress, managed to seal the Bijū within her thus becoming the first Jinchūriki." Finished Danzō, "Her name was Mito Uzumaki."

"It was her, then." Sadly commented Naruto remembering the red-haired woman in the seal that had been the nicest to him.

"It was said that even among the Uzumaki, she had a very powerful chakra, which was passed by her bloodline, which included who would become the second jinchūriki of the Kyūbi." Continued Danzō as he approached the scroll and extracted something which he held carefully. It was revealed as a small scroll which was opened by passing his thumb to a seal, that revealed a photograph in which Mito was seen, along with, Homura Mitokado, Koharu Utatane, Kagami Uchiha, Torifu Akimichi and Hiruzen Sarutobi as Chūnin While the red-haired woman viewed them with pride.

Danzō repressed a scowl when he saw the one his younger version had on his face. Time surely passed fast.

"Mito lived a long life and died a natural death in the middle of the Second War, but not before the Kyūbi was transferred from her to a new vessel, who came directly from Uzushio. She was Karashina's daughter and Mito's great-granddaughter. Her name was Kushina Uzumaki," Spoke Danzō noticing that she still had the jinchūriki's attention," She was your mother. "

Naruto gasped and now was clearly in shock. Not only was he directly related to two people he had meet face to face, he also had heard the name of his mother, and had discovered that she, him, and his great-great-grandaunt shared the same burden. But his original question had not yet been answered.

"Is that why you told me, or is there any other reason?" Asked Naruto to bit upset. Too many revelations in a single day were definitely not good for his health.

"The Uzumaki sacrificed too much for us, that couldn't be ignored." Declared Danzō sealing the picture in the scroll. "The one who ended up being the third of them carrying the Bijuu was never planned in any way and couldn't be left in such a state."

That reminded Naruto, something that had many doubts about it.

"How was the Kyūbi released?" Asked the blond, noting how the question seemed to take the elder by surprise despite not showing anything on his face.

"It's a mystery."Said Danzō, "Something that has been investigated several times but all the clues haven't lead to anything. The only ones who know the truth would be the Yondaime and Kushina ..." That last one was said in a darker tone that made Naruto decide to better drop the subject, but he knew there was something more to the meet the eye.

"The reason I told you was to pay off the debt and for other reasons," Danzō added, finally reaching the point of the conversation. "What do you have in mind after all this?"

Not understanding, Naruto just thought about everything that happened recently. He looked up at his stomach. _'Over there, inside that seal is the strongest of all monsters ... He is the reason why ... I ...'_

Seeing the attention that the Jinchuuriki was paying to the place where the seal was located, Danzō sighed as he closed his eye. It seemed that after all, he was going to have to use that same speech.

"The Fourth sealed the Kyūbi into you to benefit Konoha and yourself. He wanted you to have the power of the Kyūbi were you could become strong for Konoha. He also desired that you would be seen as a hero for holding the beast at bay." Said Danzō noticing the narrowing eyes of the blonde. "However, it is understandable why the last request couldn't be fulfilled."

"They thought I'm the demon, right?" Said Naruto before quickly blinking 'Why did I say that? Though the blonde before listening to the voice of the elder again.

"Indeed they did." Snorted Danzō, "In times of desperation, people believe what they want to believe and they did. Fueled by ignorance, many cried out for your death when they announced your status, all to drown their sorrows and fears in one thing. Such is the life of a Jinchūriki. "

Wait a minute. That didn't explain why they knew about it. Announcement? Who had the stupid idea to reveal his identity and status?

"Sarutobi is a brilliant man, nicknamed 'The Professor' and the God of the Shinobi. He led Konohagakure during the past three wars and faced three Kage on his own, defeating them all, he destroyed as well the Land of the Sky and single-handily defeated an entire army of Kusa-nin." Danzō commented in his neutral tone although Naruto detected some bitterness on it, "But he is also an idealist and a naive man who let two of his students desert and didn't have the courage to completely crush a village that had been a thorn in our side for years even when we had the opportunity. His idealism was what ended up condemning you to a life of hatred from the population. "

It was not entirely true. Other people had been responsible for propagating the rumors before the Hokage could prevent them from being said. But the blond had no way of knowing that and his eyes narrowed as slight cracks began to form beneath his feet. Apparently, the gift of Death God was the only thing that prevented him from unleashing his fury without any experience in that field.

"Sarutobi realized his error and recorded a law that forbade the elders to tell your secret to the younger generation under Death Penalty. Naturally, there were people who ignored that and ended in a way that would see the Kirigakure's Corpse Processing Team sheding some tears of proudnes." Sentenced Danzō, "Despite his mistakes, Sarutobi always did what he believed to be right and had the best intentions for you. But the road to hell is said to be paved with good intentions."

Naruto remembered the kind old man who had always helped him since he had memory and made sure he was well. He didn't know what to think about it, he had no idea that the man had hidden a lot of things from him, but being old and experienced, he surely had a reason to do it ...

"He did it to protect you from the fate of any other Jinchūriki." Continued Danzō, "Boy, this world is not a pleasant one, it is full of death and darkness in every corner. Corruption and greed are the main engines of this eternal machine of conflicts between nations and men. Of wealthy and lazy men who use us for their own ends. We kill each other for a little more land and profit and disguise it as we adapt and survive in this darkness under our insignia. Being a shinobi means sacrificing oneself. But you, who from your birth has been marked as a sacrifice, who has now seen the nature of this world, do you really have the faintest idea of the fate that would have awaited you if Sarutobi would not have intervened? "

Naruto didn't immediately answer, his mind registered the words of the elder and began to manifest scenes that had nothing to envy in cruelty to those he had witnessed within the seal. He saw himself, again as an ethereal form, watching as the massacre continued to perpetuate and the flames spread everywhere. People dying right and left under the blades of others. Nothing had changed.

Even now he could see it very well. That storm threatened to end the existence of everything he knew, it was something that called him and reminded him of what it was. The huge source of power sealed inside it also pulsed. He had been born for it. He was going to be one.

"That unending vortex of conflict is threatening to get out of control every day. Several villages were victims of this, Uzushio was only one." Added Danzō. "We live in an era and world where it is as sure as the sunrise that your own allies stab you with a kunai in the back. if they can get away with it. The most terrible enemies are always those who are closer. "

More visions, but this time it was not Uzushio but Konoha. Like that same hell, it would again hit a familiar region. A wave of destructive destruction of fire and blood welled up as someone murmured in his head.

 _"This is a burning breath of my victims. I feel it will destroy the Leaf, my people and myself."_

"I want to know." He said. Just as he had said in the seal surrounded by the multitude of the dead without rest, in the face of the specters of his ancestors and the infernal visions of the Fall, in the swirl of blood and bones where he had stood firm despite the hissing pain and against the very same Death God f. "I want to know everything, I want to know the reasons behind everything, I want to know why I end up like this as well as how I will eventually end up..."

"Oh?" Asked Danzō, suddenly a bit interested, "So now you have realized what you are looking for. If you want to know the truth, no, the truths that are hidden in the shadows, you need to grow and gain power."

"I will." Said Naruto while his eyes slightly changed color becoming a deeper blue. "After everything that has happened, the least I can do is live for their legacy."

Not hearing anything, the blue-eyed blonde continued. "I will not let anyone else have the same fate as they, but I will not ignore that last petition. Those sacrifices will not be in vain and I will be strong enough to prevent a tragedy like this say that Yondaime was confident that I would use the power of the Kyūbi to protect the same thing that my family helped a lot. I will do the same! "

"So you carry that idea, isn't it?" Asked Danzō, "Do you intend to live under that banner then?"

"No. I don't want to live like the rest. The Whirpool was destroyed and its remnants are scattered through this world. Their whirling Will still lives in me and has been passed through the power of the Death God. With the skills of their bloodline and the ones, I'll get along the way. I'll become the strongest among them [The Shinobi]... I'm an Uzumaki, by name and by blood. Believe it!" Finished Naruto with a clenched fist an unnatural grin plastered on his face.

Danzō nodded approvingly. "For a long time, my only desires and purpose have been to protect this village, no matter the limit or cost. Without the strong foundations, the great tree would fall and that is what I have become, in what I have created. " Added the Shinobi of the Darkness. "I see that now we have something in common, tell me, how do you propose to become the strongest of all or better yet, a shinobi?"

Naruto then remembered the conversation in the library. In these moments he had been somewhat concerned that he had been discovered that he had not paid attention to other details.

 _"You just need a better route ..."_

Those words went through his mind again and made him clench his fist before declaring firmly. "Then I'll wait until I can go to the Academy!" He said, "I will become strong on my own." He said with his eyes full of conviction.

A ghost of a smirk appeared on Danzō's face. "Good answer, but not adequate." The elder replied, "Would you really work hard? Would you do whatever you had to in order to become the greatest shinobi you could be? "

Naruto grinned widely at the man, "Not just the best shinobi I can be, the best shinobi ever, believe it!" He corrected.

Danzō now had a small smirk upon his lips, "Well then, I think I'd like to take a hand in training the greatest shinobi ever. How would you like to be a shinobi for me?"

Noticing the skeptical look that the Uzumaki directed him, he wasn't slow to explain. "I have noticed you for a long time, young Uzumaki, I have seen the look that you carry when you walk in the street and when you aren't able to bear the glares others sent you. Looks of contempt an inexhaustible bitterness. Even with the burden of an inheritance that should completely tear your trust, you have that will within you. Something I've seen before, "Continued Danzō," In the eyes of those who became the best shinobi of their factions. " He said thinking about a few examples; An extremely pale man with a long hair, blacker than the night and golden eyes with a snake coiled around his body, a young man with red hair and a dreamy expression on his eyes with transparent threads sprouting from his fingers and a man with spiky, silvery hair that reached the middle of his back tied in a ponytail and bangs that hung over his forehead protector, he was carrying a straight-bladed tantō with a small, circular hand-guard.

"Each of them had their own ambitions and desires." The one-eyed old man continued, "But few are the ones who are completely attached to a cause by looking for what you did for the first time. Like many children of this village, you were also impressed and attracted to the shinobi lifestyle , but unlike most of them who only view them in a childish vision of it being 'cool' or 'awesome', you were interested in something else: Acknowledgment. "

"Surely you were planning to join the ranks so that you could gain recognition and show everyone that you are not a nuisance, even if you did not know who you really were." Continued Danzō "But now, you who have seen the darkness, now you see uncertain how this changes and you are subject to something else. You carry with you the ideal of their legendary guardians and the willingness and sacrifices of others, do you really think that you can wait so long for it when you can grow up in any way you want? "

"What should I do?" Naruto asked. That sounded promising, too. The red visions were not going to go but became strong and did not follow the indications. He had better take the presented opportunity and hope he didn't regret that.

"If you want to live in the shadows as a true shinobi, just come and embrace that legacy." Answered Danzō, "Under the shadow of the great tree that is Konoha, in the roots of the Foundation. Join in and begin your path. That of the Whirpool's heir."

And then, he rested his cane on his body as he held out his hand, leaving the blonde thoughtful as he studied his options. That same sensation that had taken control of its actions previously manifested again in the form of a few whispers too familiar. A new memory sprung from his memory.

 _"The drums of war and flags of conflict will mark your life. The Great Tree Foundation will be your own."_

' _I've lived in a mist all my life, I will live to not see that crimson nightmare again'_ Though the blue-eyed boy stretched out his hand firmly clasping it with Danzō's. The elder kept his neutral side, but he was pleased. _'I will never go back on my word. Not even the very same Death God will change my mind again.'_ He thought while his azure eyes became more piercing.

"I agree," Answered Naruto as leaving a seal on an immaterial contract. Finally, they separated their hands apart and Danzō continued.

"Understand, that the path you have chosen will not be devoid of pain and it will take more than a mere effort to overcome the obstacles in this one." Recited the Foundation's leader. "You will do well to memorize the indications that you will follow from what you will learn on your own, and it is good to say that nothing we say must be out of the roots."

Naruto nodded. He had already said it, he would never go back on his word. But that did not mean he could not ask questions.

"And what am I going to do?" He asked. He had experience in receiving instruction from someone in those fields with the exception of reading, writing, and counting.

"Follow me then." Indicated Danzō through a few gestures before the two of them left the room and crossed a long corridor where the decorations or unique features shone by their absence until ending in a bridge sustained on an empty. They passed a post where two masked men merely bowed their heads before the elder until they reached an outpost on the other side of the bridge.

Once there, Naruto couldn't restrain his lower jaw of slightly hanging at the image of multiple people dressed in the same way performing various martial exercises and other more subtle arts that he ignored.

There was nothing of the ones he had seen above, they were darker and lacking in presence. But before he could react, Naruto looked how he was presented with a featureless mask with nothing more than a pair of slits that served as eye holes accompanied by a black cloak, the same one that the masked men were wearing. The blue-eyed boy mentally sighed as he repeated his newly acquired mantra.

 _'I'll firmly live with the whirpool's legacy within me until the end of my days. I will never see that red-dyed nightmare again and I will change those complexes engraved in my name. But above all, I will never go against my word. That will be the path, the way I'll walk from today.'_

"I bid you welcome to the Foundation, Uzumaki Naruto."

 _'Believe it!'_

* * *

 **A/N:** **Well, being honest, the first time I started writing this story about a year ago I had no idea what I was doing. I mean, I had a fairly long storyline and a lot of ideas about how to develop it as I progressed on it, but I always lacked the same thing: A solid foundation that would allow me to safely continue without having to constantly revise and make a lot of changes.**

 **Hence the reason for leaving the original version in mid-December last year and restart the story two months later, only to leave it paused in April because not even with the numerous changes and editions that had I had done, I still remained not convinced. However, today, after a month and a half of hard work, I finally have managed to finish its foundations and accompanied by some extra chapters that are part of the prologue, as well as some modifications to the other chapters, I'll have managed to conclude with a foundation strong enough to continue without falling into the risk of creating some plot holes.**

 **But, having completed my primary explanations, it would be good to move on to the new point. As I mentioned above, when I started to write this I didn't have many ideas on how to start and when I was developing the story in my mind and writing it in numerous fragments, I realized that I simply couldn't fill in the numerous I had created.**

 **And seeing that I didn't feel like repeating the same Canon line events (I don't see the point of doing that unless laziness is involved), I came to a new conclusion: I'm going to send the canon story through a tube.**

 **As you read at the top of this chapter, I will include much more than what was shown in the original story. Be aware this is going to be an action/adventure and slightly sci-fi and horror story. I'm going to do something with Naruto that hasn't been done before, something other than the usual struggles with Akatsuki, Madara and even Orochimaru. This story will span the entire shinobi continent and delve centuries into the past. It's going to involve shinobi and samurai, daimyō** **and tailed beasts and other monsters from the past. Hell, even the** **Ō** **tsutsuki are going to play a role here.**

 **It will include material and characters that were exclusive to novels, anime and even some games. Some will have more development than in its origins while others will remain the same, but be aware that with their inclusion in this universe, rare will be the canonical events with the same development and conclusion.**

 **This will have a somewhat AU Background and will follow the Canon storyline until the end of the first part, from there it will greatly diverge and will be completely original with the exception of a couple of key events.**

 **Having said all of the above, I will have to thank those who have followed this story, added to favorites and reviewed. Seriously, thank you very much.**

 **Anyway, see you until the next edition. Which will be completely finished before September 28th.**

 **-Ezequiel Kirishiki. (15/08/17)**


	3. The Fool

**A/N: Been a while isn't it? Now we are eight years into the future. As you can see below, this world is quite different from Canon.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related with both the Anime and Manga, all those are the property of his author (Masashi Kishimoto) and I'm only** **playing with the sandbox that he created.**

* * *

 **Whirlpool's Heir.**

 **Arc One: "The Foxface (Root) Genin."**

 **Chapter One: Elementary.**

* * *

 **Key:**

"Voice"

 _'Thinking'_

"Summoning/Jutsu!"

 **"Summon/Bijū talking"**

 _ **'Summon/Bij**_ ** _ū_ **_**thinking'**_

* * *

 **Prelude.**

(Time-Skip: Eight Years Later/Outskirts of Konohagakure no Sato.)

(Naruto: Age 12)

"COME BACK HERE YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!"

 _'Yeah right and let myself be stabbed to death with a kunai? No thanks!'_

Thought a certain red-haired boy before jumping at a nearby tree. His small feeth covered by black shinobi-like sandals quickly attatched to the wooden surface allowing him to easily climb it without his hands and especialy at a certain speed.

"Thank Kami for Tree-climbing," muttered Naruto before jumping again at the nearbiest branch and starting to jump again and again.

"And also the First Hokage for creating the fucking forest!"

He grabbed a particularly high one and used it as a support showing off his amazing acrobatics. The gray-clad twelve-year old boy reached a new height and jumped again, feeling a small breeze touching his whiskered face.

CRACK

The sound of wood cracking and also the sight of something shiny being held by some branches behind him put him in alert once more. He sighed while looking at the kunai that had nearly hit him.

 _'And they said that my aim is bad..'_ He tought before hearing another crack. Naruto pushed himself once more while the sight of another kunai, this one in full flight passed right at his left side and was nailed into another branch. Naruto took note of the partial green flow that surrounded the blade.

"Since when Mizuki-baka knows Wind Release?," he asked aloud ",I never pegged him for the type."

"I heard you! You little..," was the reply somewhere beneath him but Naruto could only think about one thing.

 _'Oh crap!'_

Naruto barely had enought time to dodge the incoming volley of metal projectiles but he was more than glad to have managed to do it, especially since he had taken notice of a quite familiar-looking tag attatched to the end of one of the blades. The ninja dagger was nailed onto a nearby branch and exploded releasing some sharp shards of wood forcing the red-haired boy to take cover by jumping , abandoning his safeplace at the heights. He landed in four-legs position before doing a quick hand seal.

"Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment)," he muttered before detecting a chakra spike that reveled the signature and position of his pursuer, which was only a few meters at his left.

 _'Oh great, double crap'_ Managed to think the whiskered boy before adjusting the heavy scroll on his back and starting to run in the oposite direction. The rehead boy jumped, ran and dodged almost at the same time. He could practically hear the frantic breath of his pursuer just a few meters behind, perhaps it was even more but he was not going to take chances.

Some kunai flew right at his side and almost managed to touch him on the shoulder. Only years of brutal training and accumulated battle experience allowed him to dodge on time.

"Stand still you little brat!" Yelled Mizuki from behind.

"That's the third time he has called me brat today, doesn't he has something more original?"Commented aloud Naruto. He shivered while imagining the fuming face of his former academy instructor behind him.

He jumped once again onto a large tree and repeted once again the same trick than before, he choose to ignore the yelp of surprise that Mizuki emmited when he saw him effortlesly moving vertically over the tree.

' _Well, I would also be surprised if a twelve-year old brat straight-from the Academy practices, let alone knows the Tree-Climbing exercise'_ Thought Naruto before dissapearing throught the leaves. He made his way to the top of it and quickly scanned the are with his blue cerulean eyes.

He was still in the outkirts of the village and practically, quite far from any other sight. It was perfect. Perfect for riding off a certain traitorous [And annoying] pest.

However, when he noticed again another kunai with a well-known [For him] tag attatched to it's hilt was nailed into the wood of a branch, few meters at his left. Naruto realized something: He should'd payed more attention to his pursuer.

A quick Kawarimi was more than enough to escape the blast that teared through pieces of wood. A single kunai with some meters of shinobi wire attatched to its hilt served to swing on a branch until he reached the ground.

 _'Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment )'_ he thought once again after doing the hand seal, allowing his sensory-like trance to take over his mind. Once again, he detected the same chakra signature being near of him, but this time a bit far. Naruto grinned. Being a sensor really had its perks.

Just as he had predicted, Mizuki soon appeared from the nearby bushes before entering the clearing. His face had a completely maniac expression drawn.

"YOU!" Shouted the [Traitor] Chūnin and former assistant in the Academy. Naruto had the nerve to look behind him to see if it was possible to be told something with more hatred and had success in it.

"Give me the Scroll of the Seals!" Demanded Mizuki who was almost completely famelic. Naruto for his part only adjusted the leather strap where he carried said object and looked defiantly at his former 'instructor' because he refused to recognize him as such.

"Uhh, how about I don't?" He tried to taunt. _'Please do something_ stupid _, do_ something _stupid'_

If it were possible, the smile of the silver-haired man widened to such a degree that it could end up disturbing the redhead if he had not seen worse things.

"You're just a miserable genin, I'm an elite chūnin, just give me the scroll, I will not hurt you...Much" He said while wielding the giant shuriken behind his back.

Naruto wanted to roll his eyes after seeing that

 _'A Fūma Shuriken, really? I have seen your aim, you truly suck. '_ Naruto struggled against the temptation to say it out loud as his pursuer was reaching his limit.

However, before either of them could make a move, a well-known voice was heard from the other side of the clearing, causing them to turn toward the fountain, one with an expression of complete rage and the other a little amused by the situation.

 _'How the hell did he find us?'_

Iruka Umino appeared at the edge of the clear in all his scarred glory. He looked tired but at the same time determined and a little annoyed. But who would not be like that to be when you were about to eat and had been interrupted by a frantic student who had confessed to having stolen a scroll from the office of the Hokage at the request of Mizuki- sensei to pass the 'exclusive' graduation examination? Then she had tried to learn one of the techniques only to meet one of her former classmates who, on top of it, was one of his favorite students who had warned her that this was a trap, then both had tried to return to the village to explain the situation only to meet face to face with Mizuki himself, while the boy had fled with the scroll, she had managed to reach the village to warn him.

Hardly aware of all that, Iruka had run through the half of the village to get there only to find his best friend threatening one of his student favorites who seemed to defend the scroll containing some of the most dangerous secrets of all Konohagakure.

"Stop right there Mizuki!" Iruka shouted enraged.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said. "How did you get here?"

"Ami managed to warn me that you had fled with Mizuki chasing you almost an hour ago so I ran as fast as I could to get there." Answered the scarred chūnin.

The red-haired boy shook his head. "No, I mean, how did you get here? We are quite far. from the village."

Iruka sweatdropped. "I just followed the line of wreckage," he said pointing to the persecution signs. Both Mizuki and Naruto turned back where he had pointed just to observe what the blasts had left. The red-haired boy let a whistle escape his lips at the sight.

"Just give me the scroll Naruto, just give it to me." Demanded again Mizuki while he violently gripped the shuriken in the air.

"Do not give it to him Naruto, it contains all the most dangerous Jutsu of Konoha. Do not believe him that he will not hurt you, obviously he is lying." Answered Iruka as he pulled out a kunai from his own pouch.

"Oh, I'll tell you who is lying too," Mizuki replied as a crooked smile drew again between his lips. Iruka felt his eyes widen at the realization of what was Mizuki speaking or worse, what he intended to do.

"Mizuki, don't do it, you know it's forbidden ..."

But the silver-haired chūnin cared very little because he continued with his monologue. Meanwhile, the red-haired boy's face was a mask of confusion.

"Tell me Naruto, have you ever wondered why you're treated in a different way?"

"Mizuki, I'm warning you ... One more word and ..."

"No Iruka, the boy has to know!" Mizuki said cruelly, the kindly instructor facade had completely disappeared, and instead there was someone consumed by lunacy.

"The brat had more than twelve years of blessed ignorance while we only had five. It's about time he wakes up."

 **xXx**

(Naruto's Mindscape.)

Meanwhile, in the depths of the redhead's mind was a large chamber. A monumental room whose walls were completely covered by different characters that represented ideas and thoughts. On the floor was an engraving showing a five-pointed star enclosed within a ten-pointed one. Below, three points united by a single line could be seen. In the center of the minor star, there was a completely empty point and devoid of character unlike the others.

Of the whole star in general, only two points of the minor were illuminated. One with the blue color with the kanji of Mizu (Water) and the other one, green with kanji of Kaze (Wind). Outside the star, the two opposing points divided by an opaque one were also colored.

One with black color showing the kanji for In (Yin) and another one with the white color showing the kanji for Yō (Yang).

Naruto appeared in the center of the smaller star and placed his arms behind his neck.

"Okay, okay, how the fuck did I end up in this situation?"

 **"Remember what happened before, you stupid boy."** Claimed a voice out of the shadows. Naruto shook his head as he walked out of the star stuck on the floor and turned his gaze towards the direction of the shadows. In front of it rose monumental bars with a kind of lock and a paper with the kanji of "Seal" written right ate the center.

Behind the bars, a pair of bright crimson eyes appeared.

 **"Try to remember what happened before."**

An so he did.

* * *

(One Month Before/Konoha's Academy.)

"Very well, class, let's begin" Announced Iruka Umino smiling. In front of him could be seen all the occupants of the room and members of the class already seated, the majority with faces that betrayed boredom.

Iruka pretended not to notice the last thing. Instead, he kept smiling and mentally noticed today's asistances.

 _'Akimichi Chōji? Yes , he is there . Inuzuka Kiba? He is one row before. Aburame Shino? ... Did he do not attend or what? Oh, Forget it! He is in the second row of the far right, odd boy, he rarely talks. Morino Idate? Yep, it looks like Ibiki's 'brotherly' talks helped a lot, he no longer skips classes, now, now, who is missing?'_

The chūnin turned to the blackboard and started to write down something to start the lesson. However when his hand touched the board he wished that he had not done it.

CLICK

SPLASH

A faint bluish glow briefly appeared on the blackboard only to allow a trapdoor on the ceiling to activate and drop a few water-filled balloons just above Iruka. The instructor ended up completely soaked head to toe and reddened a little when he heard the slight that several children barely tried to contain.

He opened his mouth to ask only to let out a stream of water that fell to the ground as if it came from a source. Naturally, that generated more laughts from the students.

"Who was it?," He asked after a few minutes while scanning with his gaze the entire classroom. _'Do not tell me it was ..'_

The first row on the left looked to the right, an act that was quickly imitated by the second, third, fourth and fifth rows. But the occupants of the sixth simply turned to the second line that was occupied by three people:

The first was a thin-stocked boy dressed in a hooded high-necked jacket that covered his mouth and the bottom of his face being the upper one occupied by round and dark glasses: Aburame Shino. The tallest member of his class and also the most misterious one. He looked at his right.

The second occupant was a brown-haired girl with pale skin and light chocolate eyes. Her hair was straight on one side, but on the other it was in a braid. In addition, she sported a clip with two circular designs. She wore a pink kimono held closed by a pink sash with two pockets on the front. Underneath, she wore a red mesh armor and violet baggy pants along with orange-colored sandals. Kurama Yakumo, heiress of the famed Genjutsu-using shinobi clan. She turned to her right to face her partner while rolling her brown eyes.

 _'Seriously?,'_ Thought the Kurama heiress. _'There are times when you act like an idiot...'_

But the last member of the line did not seem to be affected by the atmosphere of the class. He was a fair-skinned boy with short, shaggy crimson hair with some bangs that covered certain parts of his forehead. Below them, bright azure eyes hidden behind near-clossed eyelids could be seen with a mischiveous gleam. But perhaps the most remarkable trait where the six whisker-like marks in his cheeks that combined with his almost clossed eyelids gave him the appearance of an animal, of a certain animal...

Naruto had the nerve to look at his right when he felt the penetrating gaze of all class occupants, only to bump into the window. The red haired boy rubbed the back of his neck with a clearly false sheppish expression written all over his whiskered face.

"Emm, would a _'I didn't do it'_ work ?," He asked aloud not addressing anyone in particular but gaining a few sweatdrops from people all over the classroom.

Iruka started to blush in anger as he felt his blood boil.

"Seriously, I swear I was not .."

"Umm, Naruto .." Commented a child from the previous line, "I think Iruka-sensei wants you to see him.."

"Nonsense!" Replied the red-haired boy while making a lazy gesture with his left arm, "I'm sure he'll come back to give us a boring lecture or something like that ..."

But for his bad luck he chose the worst moment to look forward and meet the red face of his teacher.

Naruto gulped.

"Ehem, I'm sorry?", he muttered before trying a half-grin.

"NARUTO!"

(Five Minutes Later)

"And you will remain at the end of the class to serve detention with me. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," Naruto replied with a tone that could not help but betray his boredom. Iruka sighed as he retreated to the blackboard to start the class leaving the blood-haired boy leaning his head against his desk and murmuring about "annoying teachers and boring classes" which prompted a couple of snickers from the ones who heard him .

"What was that?," Asked Iruka facing him again from his place at the front of the class.

"Nothing," Mumbled Naruto withouth facing him.

"Very well, class, today we will review again the events of the Third World War that occurred fourteen years ago, now Who can tell me who were the powers that ...?"

 _'Again this? Oh no!'_ Naruto protested internally as he tried to ignore the boring lecture about the most recent war.

He felt something smooth poking his arm. But being busy brooding at the depths of his mind he barely payed attention to it.

"Naruto-kun," he heard which made him turn his gaze onto the light brown eyes of his deskpartner which showed a bit of concern disguised as amusement. "Are you alright?," asked Yakumo while folding her arms in her own side of the desk.

"I'm fine, Yakumo-chan," Naruto replied quickly as he made another lazy gesture with both hands, "Just a little [Very] bored." He noticied the gazing intensifying a bit more and corrected, "Okay, _too_ bored for my tastes, so?"

The brunette girl huffed. "Are you even paying attention to the class?"

"You know me," replied Naruto crossing his arms before adding, "I would probably do it, if it was not a review of something we've already seen, for the _third_ time."

"Oh common! It is not that bad" Said Yakumo lowering her voice afraid of being caught up speaking. Naruto snorted and rolled his eyes. If only she knew. He had heard about the First Great Shinobi War from the mouth of someone who had fought on it and lived to tell the tale. From the way the one-eyed mummy had narrated it, it almost made the Third War sound like a fight between academy students and he was probably right. The five fucking current Kage of that time had died in that war after all. The Second's Raikage, Tsuchikage, Mizukage, and even the mightiest Hokage followed by the First Kazekage had died in the first international conflict. Naruto once wondered how many people had died on it as well.

"It just does not change the fact that you need to change your attitude." She reproached her friend while taking notes of something that Iruka had written on the board, Naruto barely directed his eyes at that.

"Ne, Yakumo-chan, if I remember correctly, I'm still ahead of you on the list," Naruto replied with his signature fox-like grin. The brown-haired girl huffed again.

"That's only for the physical tests and you know it"

The red-haired boy detected a hint of bitterness in her voice and frowned. It wasn't fair that someone so dedicated to her work was limited by something far from his or her control. Perhaps that was another of the many reasons why he had managed to befriend the pale heiress during his time in the Academy. They really where quite similar.

"Well, but you're the best in Genjutsu of the whole class. And beside that, you're almost the best at writing tests not counting Haruno Sakura, who seems that the only thing she has done is to memorize all the notes of the course," pointed out Naruto while pointing his index at a pink-haired girl that raised her hand to answer something that Iruka had asked.

Yakumo shivered while looking at her comparison. While she did not had anything against her pink-haired classmate, she also didn't had a high opinion of her. Especially taking account of her 'Teacher's pet' status.

She remembered the time when her best friend had commented her that he pitied the team that got her. And after seeing her fangirl status to the resident dark prince of the class, she quickly found herself agreeing with that.

Speaking of wich ...

"Sasuke-kun," Iruka's voice sounded,"Could you tell us about the battle of Kikyō Pass , please?"

A snarl was heard two rows behind while an attractive boy with thorny hair and black eyes spoke giving an answer that seemed to please the chuunin in charge of the class. However that was followed by squeals of several girls of the class who also appeared to have their eyes shaped like hearths.

Uchiha Sasuke. Sole Survivor of the Uchiha Massacre of four years ago. The current prime candidate for the Rookie of the Year title and the resident 'Prince Ice' according to Inuzuka Kiba, who was having a hard time not feeling jealous about the last Uchiha's social situation. He was not the only one, several boys of the class where more than jealous about the popularity of the black-haired boy with the notable exceptions of the 'Lazy' and 'Odd' duos and Aburame Shino. But the former one rarely expressed his opinion in that matters.

"He is a jerk, but an expert jerk nonetheless", had answered Naruto when asked about his opinion of the boy which was kinda right.

"I appreciate your honesty Naruto-kun, but with your current attitude it's a surprise that you have high notes", replied Yakumo taking adavtangate of a pause that Iruka had done in his lecture. "I'm also surprised about the fact that you do not aim for the Rookie of the Year position, you actually have the opportunity to do it."

"Y'know me Yakumo-chan, I like to take pages from the books of other people, especially the ones I've already defeated in the past. Look at Shino-san right at your left!" signalled Naruto at his stoic companion who did not even bothered to look at them from his seat.

Yakumo sighed. "Sometimes I really do not understand you Naruto-kun. Do you mean that you are holding back your skills purposely?"

The whiskered redhead only winked. His expression practically told to one 'I know something that you don't know' which provoked another huff from the brunette.

Unfortunately it seemed that Iruka had noticed again his conversation and raised a little voice. "Naruto, since you want to participate so much in class, could you please tell us the name of the Third Kazekage?"

Said redhead grinned and opened his mouth to answer only to find himself with it slighltly opened. He didn't knew the answer.

 _'Oh crap!,'_ he thought _'Let's see: Reto, Shamon...Nope, I really don't remember'_

"But Iruka-sensei, none really knows about his name." He finally answered still grinning. Hoperfully none else would really knew it. Hopefully.

' _Oh great, speaking about the devil'_ He though while rolling his blue cerulean eyes before hearing a well-known pitched voice.

"HA! I bet the baka doesn'teven knows" Proclaimed Sakura from her seat. Naruto's left eye twitched whih was noticed by his female best frein who could only mentally sigh.

 _'This is not going to end pretty.'_

Naruto allowed his fox-like grin to form over his lips once more and closed his eyes. The Third Hokage had a particular name for that look. He called it the Jigoku Kitsune no Shisen (Gaze of the Infernal Fox) not perhaps the most original name but it served its purpose. In most cases, it was the sign of an inminent doom (In form of pranks) towards the poor soul that had dared to defy the whiskered redhead.

"And would _you_ happen to know it, Haruno-san?"replied Naruto with his creepy grin that promised hell under the form of pranks until the end of the term. Some of the nearby students slightly moved away not wanting to get stuck in the crossfire.

Said pinkette huffed and soon found herself in the same situation that Naruto. She didn't remembered the name of the third ruler of the Hidden Sand. In fact, she didn't remembered at all a mention of it in the texts she had binge-read in the past.

"Professor, I do not remember reading anything about it either, I think you've never mentioned it." Said a child from the row of the right hand raising his hand a few minutes of silence.

"Well in that case, I'm afraid there will be homework on that," the professor said with a huge smile. Multiple grunts of protest were heard throughout the class after that.

 _'Oh, how I love my job.'_

The class eventually ended and the students began to pick up their things and retire. Naruto quickly rushed to accommodate his place and head as carefully as possible towards the exit followed closely by Yakumo. However, before they could leave the classroom, the teacher's voice interrupted them.

"Oh Naruto, do not think I've forgotten about your detention. Would you mind staying a few minutes?" said Iruka allowing an smug smirk to appear on his face.

Naruto sighed before giving a nod to Yakumo and told her that he was going to see her tomorrow in class. He did the same with several of his acquaintances (Naruto refused to use the word 'friends' in them to a certain extent, when he was asked why he simply replied that it was personal.)

When they all left. Naruto was still in the room where the previous four years had been (Two years after the due due to some dispute about his status in the Council, thing by which pure miracle never had protested.)

A part of him was relieved that none of the occupants of the room or his companions were hostile toward him other than his parents. But he knew the reason enough to be explained to him by probably the only person in the whole village who had never concealed anything to him.

He sighed again half-expecting to write to a certain number of lines in the blackboard or to clean the classroom only to find his teacher grabbing his things and smiling to him. It was a kind smile, one that he had only received from both him and his grandfather-like figure (Or the first one to appear actually. The second one still gave him creeps.)

"Naruto, would you mind going to get a bit of ramen? It's my treat"

A genuine like grin got wider in the red-haired boy's face. There where few things that he enjoyed. One of them was the flavor of that food. Especially taking in account the fact that he had been feed that thing for nearly all his life.

"Yatta!"

 **xXx**

(Twenty Minutes Later/Ichiraku Ramen Bar.)

"Three bowls of Miso please!"

"It'll be right out, what would you like Iruka-kun?"

"Hmm, just a beef one.."

Teacher and student where seated on their respectibe stools of the Ramen Bar. The food didn't took long to arrive and both started eating. From time to time Iruka throwed various glances towards the small redhead at his side who was already going throught the third bowl. He had wondered before how the hell did the last Uzumaki managed to eat all of it, but he laterly assumed that it was probably the Fox's work or something like that. That propbably explained why Naruto was't bording in overweight like a certain chubby orange-haired classmate.

"Ahh, that's the best stuff" He heard Naruto mumbling at his side. He gasped seeing that the two first bowls where empty.

"Hmm, so sad that I've forbidden to eat more." He gasped again. Truly the moderation concept was almost lost to Uzumaki Naruto. But that wasn't why he had invited the red-haired menace to eat his favorite food.

"Naruto, I wanted to talk about something. Particularly your grades."

That statement formed a pout on Naruto's face. It was obvious that the boy who already seemed to be waiting for that part of the afternoon. Iruka sighed again, Naruto was too odd for someone his age. Although he could not blame him either. He had also experienced growing up without parents but at least he had been able to play with boys of his age his age during his childhood. Which a certain blue-eyed boy could not do for something completely out of his reach.

Then there was the slight hostility and isolation during the later years which had culminated in a completely uncomfortable ostracism. One of the most odd facts was that Iruka never remembered seeing the blooded-coloured hair crying or complaining about it. But he had seen him offer some annoyed glances about it.

When the Third Hokage announced that Naruto would attend at the Academy he had been a little doubtful about it, since he did not expect the boy's social situation to improve. but he was wrong, and time was up to show him why.

The first few months had been interesting. The boy was basically an enigma. He rarely spoke and when he did, it was only to respond in case he was asked. Whenever he finished an exercise instead of handing it over, he would write something in a small scroll that he carried in a pocket inside his jacket and waited for someone to finish and deliver first before doing so. When everyone played in the yard during recess, Naruto seemed to find it more interesting to climb a tree branch and wait there.

He also spoke to himself and many times without caring about being heard by someone else. Whether it was at his desk or in the hallways, he did so. There were times when he also hid in the building and had to look for it among all the instructors and there was even an occasion when a couple of ANBU operatives had to get involved.

The following years the situation changed and seemed to come out of its shell. Cautious as a fox, he was sometimes encouraged to speak to some of his companions, particularly Kiba Inuzuka with whom he seemed to develop a specimen of pseudo-friendship. He had also talked a few times to Nara Shikamaru and even played an ocassional game of Shōgi, which he always lost but did not seem to mind at all.

Some time later, a new student had been included. Yakumo Kurama, the last of the central branch and heiress of the Kurama Clan. But quiet and reserved that her companion Clan heiress: Hyūga Hinata, ended in some unknown way (To him) as the first 'true' friend of Naruto with whom he had sat for three years.

Both personalities complemented each other, allowing the former to gain a little more subtlety and calmness while the other gained much more confidence in herself through speech.

But that was far from removing that rebellious spark that the red-haired student had in some way or another. It seemed that one of his favorite entertainments was to make life impossible for the person who he liked by means of numerous tricks in the form of pranks both light and heavy. Almost no one had been safe, not even the old Hokage had gotten away, especially when he had found hundreds of fake paper copies in his office with ridiculous and anonymous requests. To withdraw and deny all that had cost so much time and effort. Certainly the mind of that boy was diabolical.

The Third had once joked that surely one day Naruto would invent a Jutsu that required paper only to torment him. Even though he thought it was fine, that could end up serving as an incredibly effective weapon against other Kage.

He himself had not been out of it. And he discovered it in the form of finding all the tables and chairs somehow stuck to the roof of the class one day. When confronted about it, Naruto had only rubbed the back of his head and then he denied it, several times whit his bright azure eyes half-closed.

In summary. For him, Naruto Uzumaki was many things. A problematic but intelligent boy, and skilled in his own right, a boy with a rather shady past who had adapted and lived unconcernedly, a potential antisocial with continual outbursts of childishness, a somewhat lovable but lazy boy with an addiction to a certain Dish too high in fat and salt. But never a demon.

Never.

"In particular, Naruto, although you are quite regular in everything, I do notice that you don't put much interest, especially in the practices of Taijutsu. I am really surprised that a ball of energy like you does not appreciate that part of the class"

Naruto snorted before answering. "It is not that Iruka-sensei, it is just that me and hand-to-hand combat usually do not get along," he half-mumbled before adding, "I would rather use my own combat style, but I doubt that I could use it for the moment. Unless I'm off the Academy of course. "

Naruto crossed his arms while arching his head a little while trying to balance himself over the stool. Iruka contemplated that with a frown.

"Your our own fighting style? I was not aware that you had one". Asked the chuunin a little confused. It was not uncommon for kids who belonged to shinobi clans to have knowledge of their families' fighting styles or had been instructed at a certain age at the bases, such as the Hyūga Clan with their Jūken (Gentle Fist) or the Inuzuka with their Shikyaku no Jutsu (Four-Legs Technique). Although Naruto in theory held the same position as most of them, he lacked something: Family.

The Uzumaki Clan had been exterminated 27 years ago during the Second Great War. While there were rumors that several survivors had managed to escape the holocaust, they had probably spread to nearby nations such as Kaminari no Kuni (Lightning Country), Mizu no Kuni (Water Country) and others. Only one had arrived to Hi no Kuni (Fire Country) and stayed in Konohagakure: His mother who had died twelve years ago.

But if there was no one who could tell him. How was it possible that the boy was aware of that? And going further, what was his style? These questions gnawed at Iruka's mind and I waited for the answer, which was not long in coming.

"One part I learned on my own, while the other, well ... Let's just say I was too bored and ANBU-chan was easy to convince."

Now Iruka was quite surprised.

"How the hell did you manage to convince an ANBU to train you? And how do they let you call him that?"

Naruto shrugged in his seat.

"I can be quite persuasive when I want to"

Iruka sighed. Sometimes it was difficult to get an answer from the red-haired oddball, but nevermind., I have continued with the conversation.

"And since when have you been training?" He asked still a bit unconvinced.

Naruto stuck out his tone and bit it a little while counting with his fingers. "Let's see, four, five, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven ..."

"You've been training since your FOURTH birthday?!"

Naruto grinned shepishly. "The Uchiha Clan used to make their children perform a C-ranked Ninjutsu as a ceremony when they had four years of life. I was bored, they where there, the scrolls where there, Jiji was not around, so I just put two plus another two. "

Iruka sighed for the last time. "And I suppose that your style is not based on Taijutsu due to the poor interest you give to the physical classes."

"A cookie for the teacher! Exactly Iruka-sensei" Snapped Naruto while putting away the three now empty bowls with one hand and rubbing his stomach with the other. Deep down, he was tempted to say that he was still hungry but did not want to prolong the conversation so much. It was not that he did not enjoy spending time with his favorite teacher (More like the only one, the others hardly counted to him as some).

"Then what does it do?"

Naruto laughed and continued answering the questions the chuunin for the next twenty minutes. After that time, he got out of his place and said goodbye remembering that he did not have in mind to pay the bill.

"I really like Iruka-sensei, he's funnny to hang out. Sometimes I wish that Megane-sensei was like that," Commented the crimson-haired soon-to-be teen. "Oh, who 'am kidding? He's creepy enought with the kind 'Kenjustu Instructor' façade"

 **xXx**

(Some Minutes Later/Konohagakure Outskirts)

"Hello everyone!"

"Hmm. Naruto, I thought that you where still on detention." Remarked Shikamaru from his place in the small landslide. At his side where seated his best friend Chouji and some meters at his left, Kiba Inuzuka with his Ninken, Akamaru.

Naruto was waving at the distance before aproaching.

"I was in detention, quite interesting by the way, the only thing I did was answer a few questions while I ate three bowls of Miso at Ichiraku's"

Shikamaru snorted. "I bet you loved that detention. Your favorite food completely free."

Naruto grinned before sitting in the ground. Unlike the other three, he was not particularly close to them. Although he had a very friendly relationship, he seldom went beyond that, but that hardly bothered the four of them.

"And what did Iruka-sensei want to talk to you about?" Chōji asked as he continued eating from his bag of fried food before offering it a little to his familiar redhead who quickly grabbed a few.

"Oh, nothing important. My attitude to the class, mainly or rather my lack of interest on it." Nolanchantly answered Naruto after eating the chips. "It seems that he end up realizing that I have as much aptitude for Taijutsu as Shino-san."

Another snort. This time from Kiba was heard.

"Man Naruto, you really are something else. If not for Shikamaru here you could perfectly take the lazy spot effortlessly."

Said pinneaple-haired boy only muttered his motto.

"Troublesome."

"As if you could speak Kiba, the only reason why you are not the dead-last of the class is because Shikamaru here has a huge laziness to answer the written exams and also because Morino decided to apply this year, and he has taken advantage of it."

Kiba was stunned for a few seconds before cursing. "I'm sure I could beat you up in the next practice." He answered with a feral grin, Akamaru let out a bark of agreement from the floor.

If it were possible, Naruto's grin widened before he let out a slight, sharp growl of the sound of a fox which intensified Kiba's smile. That was another reason why they both took away too. Both had one or another 'canine' attribute.

"Are you sure Kiba? If I remember correctly, I ended up sweeping the floor with you in the last training spar, even with Akamaru involved." Said Naruto still grinning. He was half-tempted to use the Jigoku Kitsune no Shisen (Gaze of the Infernal Fox) to freak Kiba out.

"That's because you cheated! You used one of your fancy tags to make sure Akamaru could not hear my voice" Protested Kiba.

"Ahh, you mean one of these?" Mocked Naruto feigning innocence while showing off a paper tag with the kanji for "Sound" written in the center. "One of my Otokyū Fūin (Sound Absorbtion Seal), they are just lovely to talk without any risk involved in being overheard."

"You are really good with seals and all those stuuff are not you Naruto?" Asked Chōji a bit curious about it. He, like everybody else, had seen in the past many times in which his red-haired classmate had shown his tremendous skills in that area.

"It's not that I know too much but Iruka-sensei mentioned that it was one of the most difficult branches of the Shinobi Arts to learn, let alone to be freely used."

Naruto shrugged. "It's one of the few things I consider good," the redhead ignored Kiba's comment about 'apart from annoying others'. "You have the pills of your clan, Shikamaru has its shadows and Kiba has Akamaru. I, for my part, have seals and more seals."

"Wicked."

"Sounds interesting."

"Troublesome."

"Arrf!"

The four continued to talk about various things. Chōji mainly food and how they should all go to visit Yakiniku Q sometime, maybe as a graduation party. Shikamaru from the sermon who waited for him from his mother once he found out that he would probably end up graduating as the last of the class. Kiba argued from time to time how unfair that most of the girls in the class were completely fixed in the resident emo of the class while Naruto commented that he had thought to play a joke but found nothing interesting.

"You know something, guys? This is a lot of fun and everything, but I have to go. The ANBU who stalk me-err, protect me will start looking for me if I don't go home." Announced Naruto as he got up and walked into the village again waving over his back.

Then he realized of what time it was.

"Oh crap! Sekigan-jiji is going to have my head on a pike."

 **xXx**

(Half an Hour Later/Underground Location.)

"You're late"

The monotone voice echoed through the desolate chamber beneath the earth. Danzō turned from its place to face the small figure who was prostrated before him.

The Shinobi of Darkness had not changed much over the years. Bandages still covered a part of his face, as did his arm that was still held against his chest. But that penetrating gaze that showed the caliber of ninja that was despite its very advanced age remained the same completely.

"Foxface, take off your mask."

The figure approached towards the slight glow revealing a black layer commonly used by the ANBU being the only other notable feature a porcelain mask with red lines that conformed features similar to those of a fox. In a way, it was identical to the mask used by some ordinary ANBU operative, with the only exception being the small kanji engraved on one side indicating the loyalty of the mask.

Foundation.

The figure removed the hood with one hand while with the other shifted aside the mask, crimson hair and the whiskered face of Naruto Uzumaki peered out of the shadows. The boy calmly removed the porcelain piece revealing his young face. His blue eyes had a frosty aura as usual and the markings that adorned his face and which had been the reason why he had been named as Foxface of looked deeper than in the light.

Suddenly. His eyes closed and his mouth turned into a small mocking grin as he lifted his left arm in greeting.

"Hai Danzō-jiji."

SMACK.

Danzō's visible eye twitched before slamming his wooden cane on the head of his young subordinate.

"Boy, what have I told you about proper respect?" He said with his aged voice. He wasn't Sarutobi to let some brat make fun of is age. Let alone the same brat that he had watched grow.

Naruto rubbed his head while rolling his eyes. "Fine, fine, good to see you too Sekigan- _sama_." He said grudgingly.

SMACK

"Okay, okay, hello Danzō-sama." He said waving with his left hand. The Warhawk sighed before making motions to the boy to walk beside him which the boy immediately did. The two left the room and entered the hall once again. They walked for a few meters in total silence until the voice of the Shinobi of the Darkness broke it commenting.

"Nothing new to report?"

Naruto raised his left eyebrow at that. _'Do not you have Creepy-san for that?'_ He wondered and could not bear to say it out loud, he did not want to win another blow with his 'boss' staff. Was that thing even made of wood?

"Well, besides the graduation is in a month and Iruka-sensei continues to bore us to death with a review of historical notes, there is nothing interesting at the moment."

Danzō said nothing about it but Naruto thought he had tried to contain a snort. He would never know, reading the face of the commander and founder of Root was almost impossible.

The two were not particularly close. Although it had been the last of the Shimura who had introduced the last Uzumaki in the Foundation, he had not interacted so much with him or at least during the first years of conditioning.

Years where the treatment seemed to have been developed in a rather peculiar way. Effective at the end, but peculiar without a doubt.

It did not matter because so much had happened during that time. The original personality not only remained partly intact. It had assimilated into the other and could be exchanged in the course of a simple blink.

"I have a new order for you."

"I'm listening to Danzō-sama." There was it. A voice that completely lacked the warmth of the other one, one almost devoid of emotions.

Danzō let a slight smile decorate his lips. _'His purpose as the greatest weapon of the Hidden Leaf is still far from being fulfilled, but it is still refreshing to know that at least those seeds planted for years have bear fruit.'_

Training the overactive redhead had not been easy. He was not like the others his age, all being developed to be almost completely uniform. He was an exception. Unpredictable and dangerous as a whirlpool. Unorthodox and vicious could even be said.

 _'And he will continue to grow in strength, with the power of the beast sealed within him and his potential it will be only a matter of time for that. Ahh, who would have said that that traitor would end up benefiting the Leaf as much when he hissed to the four winds the status of the container of the Nine Tails.'_

Danzō extracted a folder from between his clothes and opened it showing the content to Naruto who approached to be able to look better.

The first thing that could be seen was the photograph of a man of no more than thirty years of age dressed in very luxurious clothes. _'A noble'_ Thought Naruto and then took into account the symbol behind the man. A symbol _too_ familiar to him.

"This is Daisuke Furusaki, one of the nephews of the present Feudal Lord of the Land of the Fire, has business in the coastal lines of the country and also in Umi no Kuni (Land of the Sea). He is particularly noted for his disapproval of the increase of the budget of the court destined towards Konoha, and also for assigning missions to foreign hidden villages."

Danzō showed the second half of the folder. In it one could look at the image of a man with round eyes and dark markings around his eyes. He was wearing a slate gray flak jacket with extended shoulder guards and bandanna-like Hitai-Ate (Forehead Protector) with a symbol of four rivers.

 _'A Kirigakure shinobi?'_ Thought Naruto after seeing the photo.

"This is Ummo Samidare, he is a notorious jōnin of Kirigakure and a B-ranked shinobi in Iwagakure's Bingo Book. He is particularly known for having strong feelings towards Konoha and has drawn attention of many people for conducting several missions by orders of Furusaki-san. "

Naruto nodded and realized where he was going to end up with that.

"This afternoon, Ummo Samidare and Lord Furusaki gathered at a property near the border with Yu no Kuni (Land of the Hot Water). Unfortunately, there was an oversight by the guards and an accident ended up unleashing a fire There were no survivors and apparently the properties inside were unusable. There was no suspicion of sabotage." Finished reading Danzō staring at him.

Naruto nodded and a strange glow was present slightly in his blue eyes.

"It shall be done, Danzō-sama"

"Good" Replied the leader of Root before tapping the ground with his cane. "Take what you need, by your leave ... Foxface."

'Foxface' smirked before adjusting his mask and placing her hood again covering her pleo of the same color of blood. Without making the slightest noise, I walk down the hall. Maybe it was an effect of the light itself but it seemed that the shadows crawled in its wake.

Behind the mask, Naruto had already released the smile. Eight years, eight years had passed since that day and seven years since its secret had come to light by marking it differently.

The Root, the Foundation had been the first and only option available to him in those times. He was more than aware of his role.

And he was more than pleased to be able to keep it.

 **xXx**

(Two Hours Later/ Land of Fire and Hot Water Border)

The resort was somewhat spacious and fortified. Traditional wooden and stone palisades surrounded a small group of buildings no more than two stories high and a small garden decorated with a pond that communicated with the neighboring stream running through the area. The only entrance consisted of a large wooden port with metal beams as a reinforcement with the engraved crest of the Country of Land of Fire which was guarded by two guards dressed in the armor and typical robes of the court's samurai. Those warriors, despite not having as much fame as their cousins of the Iron Country in the North were not incompetent in their work and fiercely defended their masters until the last breath, which the only difference that they had with the shinobi in respect to the treatment.

The sun had not set when Naruto had reached the vicinity of the property. Hidden among the branches of one of the trees, Root's operative settled his hands into a single seal and muttered. "Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment)"

 _'Hmm. There are at least eight guards. Samurai, if the chakra levels serve as an indication and also a major signature over there. That's probably Ummo Samidare and the lowest one, is obviously Furusaki-san.'_ Thought the red-haired ANBU.

 _'The Bingo Book never mentioned that Ummo was a sensor-type and I hightly doubt that one of the samurai will be able to detect me. But that doesn't means that entering by the front door may be a good idea, it would be wiser to use another means. '_

His blue cerulean eyes fixed on the creek that connected with the pond inside the property and an idea began to form in his head.

He carefully lowered himself from his hiding place and began to head through the vegetation to the nearby stream. Using his sensory technique he had already verified the lack of presence of guards in the surroundings so he was 100% sure that there was no danger in being discovered.

Coming closer, the sound of running water will alert you to the nearness of your target. Cautiously, he observed from a bush the stream that stretched for a good four meters in width and probably a few kilometers in length. If he had to figure it out, Naruto would have bet no more than four feet deep but it did not matter. The technique could even be used in a puddle and had heard rumors of Amegakure shinobi using them in dishes for dogs during the Second War.

"Suiton: Mizugakure no Justu (Water Release: Hiding in Water Technique)" muttered Naruto after completing a small sequence of hand seals once inside the water. Almost instantly, he began to sink, leaving no trace of his presence on the riverbank.

Moving through the liquid surface was a piece of cake. There was no complication until arriving at the section of the palisade built on the creek. Under the water a tinel communicated with a semi-rusty grid that served as the only barrier with the ornate pond that was on the other side.

The grid did not stand a cut of Naruto's sword and yielded with only a slight creak barely audible underwater but completely ignored outside. Naruto introduced himself to the tunnel and activated his sensory technique again. There were no guards near the pond, so it was safe to move freely and place their preparations.

Naruto emerged from the deepest part of the pond and hastened to hide behind some lilies.

 _' Meisaigakure no Jutsu (Hiding with Camouflage Technique)'_

The silhouette of Naruto began to disappear once his camouflage technique was activated. Although he had difficulty learning and using it correctly in the begining (Due to the serious problems in relation to his Control over his Chakra) now it was almost like a glove. He began to walk slowly on the surface of the water being careful not to show signs of his presence, something that spoke too much of years practicing that exercise.

Naruto finally reached the mainland and kept his invisibility technique activated. Running quickly, he jumped to the most graceful wall and after channeling chakra to his feet, he began to climb up the wall vertically until he reached the roof. Once there, he activated his sensory technique again to verify the position of his targets.

The samurai made their orders in groups of two and judging by their position, they had not noticed their presence in the complex. The other two firms remained in another building just behind a warehouse on the other side of the complex.

' _Tch, this would be much easier if the guards patrol alone, but hey, you can not have everything you want.'_ He mentally protested while extracting from his cloak a scroll in which he kept certain things that were going to be indispensable for the success of the mission and for his personal entertainment also.

"Kaifū no Jutsu (Unsealing Technique)"

Inside the scroll were engraved at least twelve identical seals, but one of them lit briefly and exhaled a small cloud of smoke revealing a metal box. Naruto opened the box and extracted a spherical object that he handled gently.

It was an Explosive Tag Ball. And probably one of the best ideas Naruto had ever heard. Because its power was much greater than a simple label and could also have multiple uses. From projectiles to underwater mines.

The reason why the explosive balls were sealed inside a metal box consisted in that in spite of his aparent mastery in Fūinjutsu, he was far prudent in that matter and sealing seals inside other seals required a lot of precision, besides that any mistake could result in a nothing pretty explotion. (For the idiot who made the mistake.)

"Well, since it's too early to announce my arrival, I think it would be a good time to place the preparations." Yes, the preparations, the explosive preparations.

 **xXx**

(Twenty Minutes Later)

Naruto eluded another incoming wave jump and managed to stick to the nearby wall to continue attacking from a distance the only samurai standing. This, seeing as his partner had fallen to the ground (Victim of a kunai driven with Fūton Chakra that managed to cross his helmet and kill him instantly.) Had not lost a single minute and began to use the techniques of Transformation of Long Range against him. Naruto had for at least a minute dodging skillfully the continuous chakra waves that the samurai was pushing from his sword.

 _'Tch, he is good, it's been a while since I met someone like him'_ He though as he drew his own sword from within his cloak and in turn activated his own initial technique.

 _' Kenjutsu: Nagare (Sword Technique: Current)!'_ He thought while swinging his straigh-shaped ninjatō. A minor glow began to engulf the straight short blade of the sword augmenting both its endurance and cutting power but not the range.

If the samurai was surprised to see his opponent also having knowledge about Shape Transformation, he did not show it, instead he took his sword back in a vertical arc before releasing it violently towards the front.

"Hadan (Rupture)!"

Another wave of chakra was released from the blade towards Naruto who this time, was more than ready to properly counter it. His newly chakra-enhanced sword absorbed the wave much to the samurai's shock.

Even more, Naruto's stance deeply changed his right arm, the one holding the sword executed a complicated arc to the right, forming a circular pattern that ended with the opposite side facing the front.

"Uzumaki-Ryū: Kusanagi no Jutsu (Whirpool-Style: Grass-Mowing Technique)!"

Naruto swing his sword in the horizontal slash. The thick layer of chakra surrounding the blade extends towards the point creating an ethereal-like extension almost unavoidable that managed to take the samurai by surprise who found himself in a state of total shock upon seeing that.

 _'What!? A shinobi using Shape Transformation so delectably!?_

He hardly noticed when the extended blade of chakra attached his side cleanly drawing blood as it went deeper. The armored man fell without letting go of his sword and made to gesture to ask for help but Naruto, much faster, leaped over him with his sword in high and cleanly stab the mask-helmet of the man killing him instantly.

"Well, there goes my plan to take them by surprise." He commented as he quickly sealed the bodies in another scroll that he brought with, with luck (which he rarely lacked), he still had opportunities to sneak up on the remaining six.

The two who had just killed were at the most isolated end of the complex, so he had no scruples in using Fūton: Reppūshō (Wind Release: Gale Palm) in one of them, killing him instantly, but he had not counted on the ability that the survivor had , which had cost him in the form of taking a few minutes to subdue and eventually kill him, revealing along the way his Kenjutsu skills as well as his skill in Shape Transformation.

But on the bright side, at least he had succeeded in planting numerous spheres of explosive labels throughout the complex as well as placing an 'ally' in the main building.

Naruto ran through the wall to the nearest roof where he scanned the area. The remaining six guards did not seem to have noticed anything anomalous and continued with their rounds, although they would probably soon realize the absence of two of their comrades.

 _'Elemental Ninjutsu is out of the question, it would cause too much noise and probably attract the attention of Samidare, the information on the Bingo Book described that he should not be underestimated. My Uzumaki-Ryū stays, is the only thing that perfectly counteracts the techniques of the Samurai, Fūinjutsu is completely useless right now. Sealing their chakra points? That would be **more** useful against a shinobi, in addition that my Uzumaki-Ryū affects Tenketsu points too. That without taking into account that the samurai are much more proficient in Kenjustu than I , and that they do not need to use chakra at all '_

With those lines of thought, Naruto headed for the nearest group with the drawn sword. Jump between the distance of the two buildings (Not more than three meters) and land quickly rolling to continue more efficiently. He stopped to look over the edge as two samurai were walking just below him.

Without thinking twice, Naruto jumped up with the chakra flow still active and fell right in the middle of the two. Before they could turn, Naruto dropped a deadly bow toward the hip of the right who uttered a groan of pain and fell on his roidllas, before the other could even draw his sword, Naruto beheaded who had struck first cleanly And lashed out at the other with a diagonal thrust that was blocked by the two wakizashi that the second samurai wielded and both with active chakra flow.

Naruto released his ninjatō from the blockade and attacked again using the length of his weapon seeing his efforts being insufficient before the continuous blocks that the samurai could do. The samurai took a short pause to extend the length of his two swords gaining the advantage over his small opponent who retired from a somersault as he felt the two chakra blades crossed in a deadly bow a few inches from his head that managed to cut a tiny part of the fabric of his hood.

The samurai swung his two swords horizontally before swiftly slashing the air.

"Issen (Beam of Light)!"

A sharp crescent of chakra detached itself from one of the swords and was duly followed by another from the second. Both blue waves blew to Naruto who preferred to divert them by force of thrusts to try to dodge them much to the surprise of his opponent who is not discouraged.

The armored warrior repeated the same action from before but then did something different.

"Nijū Issen (Double Beam of Light)!"

This time, two sharp chakra crescents were released from the blades and advanced with a sharp sound towards Naruto who managed to deflect the closest with his sword and dodge the second with a few seconds.

The samurai fought this time with a sword in high and another to the side throwing lunges to right and sinister that were easily deflected by the Naruto's sword and took advantage to the maximum of his superior agility to avoid the sharp blades reinforced with chakra.

Naruto felt his eyes widen as he detected a pair of presences approaching. A Seal-less Kawarimi was required in order to avoid a thrust from behind by a newly arrived samurai who had a katana untied, much longer than the weapons of all the samurai he had faced for the time being. _'Which means it has a lot more chakra channeling capability, which means ..'_

The samurai activated a chakra flow in his katana which was now wrapped in a dense blue layer. However, to the surprise of the Root operative, the layer accumulated until it extended far beyond the tip of the blade and began to take the shape of an opposing blade, giving the weapon reinforced with chakra the appearance of a bluish ax.

 _'Of course there had to be one with advanced knowledge of Shape Manipulation. In the Foundation we only have Megane-sensei, who has fortunately given me enough experience to deal with someone with that ability, I hope that this one is not at his level at least. '_ Mentally sighed Naruto.

Naruto blocked a slash of the chakra ax with his ninjatō before jumping and dodging another thrust by the samurai who was holding the two wakizashi, he landed a few meters back giving a somersault in the air and diverting another cutting wave of chakra triggered by a third samurai, the companion of the one who had transfigured his weapon to an ax apparently.

Seeing himself outnumbered and certain that the remaining guards were about to come, Naruto felt a small smirk on his lips. That meant he had permission to use his favorite arsenal: Ninjutsu.

However, the samurai did not seem to want to give them any time, because by admirable coordination (Apparently the results of a collective training) the three balanced their respective swords by firing at the same time three cutting waves of chakra towards him.

 _'How I hate that technique'_ Thought Naruto before swinging his own sword in turn and executing a series of fluid movements and finally sending a slash towards the front while calmly saying. " Uzumaki-Ryū: Shōja (Whirpool-Style: Serpent Thrust)!"

From the tip of the sword sprouted an extension of chakra that took a serpentoid form and began to crawl through the air opening its jaws and revealing two menacing fangs much to the surprise and horror of the samurai.

The building of chakra pounced on one of them, stabbing its fangs in the neck only to fade in the air when cutting the chakra connection. The armored warrior screamed in pain as he felt the fangs of the attack stabbed firmly into his Tenketsu points by slamming them shut.

Naruto quickly deactivated the flow and chakra of his ninjatō and cast it out just to start a fast chain of hand seals and then took a long breath and exhale through the special material of his mask.

"Fūton: Shinkūha (Wind Release: Vacuum Wave)!"

The exhaled air was released in the form of a sharp solitary blade that quickly traversed the short distance between Naruto and the two remaining samurai and cut neatly through their armors drawing blood along the way.

Naruto sensed more presence approaching. No more than five in all, just as he had predicted. He prepared his hands again, ready to start a chain of seals in order to be ready, a smile formed on his face. It was time to play like a shinobi, the time of doing it as a swordsman had already culminated.

 **xXx**

(Five Minutes Later / Central Complex Building)

Ummo Samidare was a very experienced man. Of his forty-four years, more than thirty-four had been dedicated to his career as a shinobi. Not belonging to any of the important clans of the Hidden Mist, let alone the upper caste, he had to undergo the brutal training and graduation exam during the tense period of armed peace between the Five Great Nations. He had served as a Genin in the Second Great War under the command of the Third Mizukage, the great Warmonger who dealt directly with the outposts that Sky Country commanded as well as with the forces of the Hidden Cloud and the inhabitants of the Whirling Tides . He had been part of the main forces that had invaded the continent and had faced directly the forces of Konohagakure and Sunagakure , stealing several corpses of both allies and enemies under the mask of one of the members of the body of ANBU on the way. And finally he was also part of the darkest time of the Superpower of the Water Country: The reign of the Fourth Mizukage and the Village of the Bloody Mist.

The Water Country was not a pleasant place to live and its socioeconomic situation was regarded with horror by foreigners. Several decades of bloody conflicts in the interior had developed an atmosphere of distrust and desire for blood among its inhabitants. Since the Warring Periods in which the numerous clans, with bloodlines as well as without them, had faced in battles to death that had dyed the crimson water. It had only been until the news of alliances between clans on the continent and the formation of the so-called 'Hidden Villages' reached the archipelago that things changed.

Byakuren, the vicious leader of the Shikorae Clan, infamous for their Chakra Absorption techniques and their particular dominance over the Suiton (Water Release) somehow managed to be in line with his hommonyms from the other two most recognized clans: The Terumī and the Hōzuki. Together, unlike the way carried out on the continent, they demanded the remaining clans to join them, which attracted both clans and long groups of civilians, who were fearful of the potential threat of the three clans. However, Byakuren and his allies broke into a fierce and bloody campaign against neighboring clans who denied the offer, no matter how much they fought, even the savages of the Kaguya Clan ended up being subjugated to the Triple Alliance.

Once with the unified Water Country. Kirigakure no Sato was founded with Byakuren at the head as the First Mizukage. The first three clans became the first caste or pseudo-nobility , enjoying their privileges and power and influence. Those who had been united and allied voluntarily became the second caste and the bulk of the forces of the rising power. But those who had been subjected to the force, happened to form the third and last caste as well as the most repressed. A system of government that lasted from the foundation of the village and would remain intact for the next forty years.

The reign of Byakuren Shikorae had been short, but had laid the groundwork for Kirigakure's influence and occupation as one of the Five Great Powers of the Shinobi World. His successor, Gengetsu Hōzuki, had been much more flexible in his reign, which abruptly saw its end in the middle of the First Great War where he met his end at the hands of his homonym of Iwagakure, but at least getting to take his nemesis with him death. After the departure of these two, the Third Shadow of Water post had been occupied by a member of the last clan forming the Triple Alliance: Fushoku Terumī who had served as bodyguard and right hand of Byakuren years before.

During his reign, the militant activity of the village increased, leading the neighboring countries to maintain a cautious distance from the machinations of the Third Mizukage, who never ceased to seek an opportunity to show the world the power of his village. Opportunity that appeared almost twenty years later with the beginning of the Second Great War where he had fought and massacred entire platoons of enemies with his Kekkei Genkai. However, its lack of moderation led to several disasters such as the loss of more than a sixth of Kirigakure's forces during a fierce assault in the Whirpool Country, which led him to lose react among various sectors of the population and even almost He lost his position, which he managed to preserve until the middle of the Third Great War, where he met his end at the hands of his own successor and some supporters: Yagura Shikorae, the jinchūriki of the Sanbi no Kyodaigame (Three-Tailed Giant Turtle) and curiously, the great-grandson of the same man whom he had served as bodyguard and advisor some decades before.

With his coming to power, things changed, too much and not for good or at least the answer varied from who was wondering.

If only the situation in the country of the Water had always been tense, after a few years under Yagura's rule that tension was cut suddenly like a knife. A new event ended up imposing and crushing the bloody foundations of the Hidden Mist or the Bloody Haze as it was now called: The Bloodline Purge.

The continuous problems under the command of the Third Mizukage, member and head of the Clan Terumī throughout his reign were gradually attributed to his clan, which was the only one of the first caste that made use of a Kekkei Genkai. That added to the riots in the past with other clans with the same attributes, i.e. Kaguya, Yuki, etc. It lead to a distrust and eventual aggressiveness against all of them without distinction. Naturally that situation would not improve when the Kaguya Clan tried to start a revolt against the village and were confronted by the most feared members of the village elite: The Seven Swordsmen.

After that incident, it was obvious that no clan or person carrying a Kekkei Genkai was to be looked upon with confidence so that there was no choice but to declare a purge against any person who had these characteristics. The Terumī went from being nobility to plague in just a few days. **[1]**

Ummo had not been very different in those times. He had witnessed the death of the Third and had quickly passed Yagura's side without a second thought. In the Water Country these things happened and nobody was stupid enough to question them.

He had been part of the exterminators of the persecuted and eventually one of the many sent to fight the aforementioned 'rebels' who were united under a single flag or took refuge and regrouped in neighboring countries as Umi no Kuni (Land of the Sea).

It had been there that he had gained contact with Daisuke Furusaki, a seemingly harmless noble of the Fire Country who used to vacation in the Sea Country from time to time. The noble offered a good sum of money for a safe and reliable escort on certain 'assets' of his in that area, goods that could damage his reputation if someone from his country learned of it.

Accustomed to dealing with people like him, Ummo had accepted the job and after a few months he had realized the profitability of that mission.

It seemed incredibly ironic that he, a jounin well known for his discontent towards Konohagakure himself, was earning enough money from a nobleman who in theory ought to support his country's Hidden Village, but Furusaki's attitude was rather elusive on that subject .

His instincts told him not to go on trying to find out anything. The same institutes who were shouting at him from the moment he thought he heard the familiar sound of two metals clashing with each other, he had heard it several times in the past and it was a common occurrence. It was the sound of fighting swords.

However Furusaki had entertained him too much in a discussion which ended up being a gross mistake on his part which he tried to justify mentally stating that the samurai guards would be more than enough to kill him or the intruders.

However, minutes later other sounds made their appearance. The sound of screams of pain added to the explosions of chakra that meant the presence of Ninjutsu being used in the area and then, pure silence.

It was more than obvious that the intruder had completely overthrown the samurai and was probably ready to continue with his obejtivo: Probably Lord Furusaki.

"Wait here." He ordered to the stammering nobleman only to give him strict instructions to completely block the door and dig into the room while he takes charge of the intruder.

Ummo was quite confident in his abilities, although he knew that someone who had defeated several samurai was not someone to be underestimated he was also aware that they were not the dangerous and legendary armored warriors of the Land of Iron.

It took almost nothing to get to the outskirts thanks to a Mizu-Shunshin no Jutsu (Water Body-Flicker Technique) but when he did, he realized that something was wrong almost immediately. The silence was too dense and he soon understood why.

Of the samurai guards, there were at least three of them in the center of the central courtyard. His shiny armor was covered with numerous cracks, through which blood flowed, whatever had been cut, he had done it well And also brutal.

He felt like the air was tightening behind him and elusive quickly looking down the road as a shuriken passed a few inches to his right with an explosive tag tied in the ring.

 _'Damm it!'_

Another Shunshin no Jutsu was used to escape the explosion that almost burned it. His black eyes fixed on a figure on the roof of the nearest building with another kunai in hand, ready to be thrown towards him.

But Ummo was much faster, extracting a kunai from his pouch, hurled him quickly to the figure that eluded him effortlessly before throwing his own towards him, only this time with a small sphere of paper, his eyes opened Again identifying what it was: A smoke bomb.

As soon as the kunai touched the earth, the sphere broke, releasing a gray cloud that began to cover the area in front, blinding its vision.

 _'Tsk, using smoke against a Shinobi of the Hidden Mist, speaking of irony'_ Thought Ummo while he covered his eyes before using the Body-Flicker Technique for a third time to escape the prison of smoke which he quickly obtained for his relief.

Which did not last long, especially when he felt a powerful kick hit his ribs and sent him to the ground. Ummo grunted as he tried to get comfortable just to give up at the last moment and avoid a lunge that threatened to stab his side.

 _'Apparently the intel in the Bingo Book was right. He is an expert on the Mizu Shushin no Jutsu (Water Body Flicker Technique) version.'_ Thought Naruto while concentrating on sending a series of slashes towards his target before he disappeared again in a water swirl. _'His reserves of chakra are above the average of someone with rank of Jounin. That technique drains too much'_

In the meantime, Ummo had grown tired of running and managed to move through his favorite technique to a safe distance in which he began to form a chain of hand seals. "Suiton Dan: Shachi (Water Release Bullet: Orca)!"

A huge surge of water emerged from his mouth towards the black-clad Root Operative who merely dodged before jumping away. On airborne, Naruto extracted a kunai from his sleeve and threw it before clapping. "Fūton: Reppūshō (Wind Release: Gale Palm)"

The compressed wave of wind impelled the kunai with a deadly accuracy. However, Ummo managed to dodge it and And counterattacked with his own kunai set as fast as he could. Foxface, on the other hand, eluded the former and succeeds in drawing their ninjato from their cover, and they manage to divert the following.

Ummo growled at the next and held a kunai in one hand before adjusting his other hand and concentrating chakra on it. Sparks began to blunt until forming an electric sphere. "Raiton: Raikyū (Lightning Release: Lightning Ball)!"

Ummo threw the sphere towards Naruto who felt his eyes wide open behind his mask before jumping out of the path of the electric projectile. Ummo generated another sphere again and threw it towards him but Naruto was already prepared for that.

Passing the blade of his sword through his mouth, he quickly exhaled elemental chakra reinforcing the blade. The ninjato began to turn a greenish color and adopt a slightly longer and sharper appearance.

"Fūton: Shinkūjin (Wind Release: Vacuum Blade)" He muttered before wielding his sword in a slash, cutting through the the electric sphere in the air.

"But what?!" Yelled the surprised Jounin of the Hidden Fog. _'That is advanced elemental manipulation. Whoever this guy is, his rank can not be less than ANBU or even an Oinin (Hunter-Nin) '_

He did not have much time to think when he encountered the figure of his opponent running toward him brandishing his wind-chakra-reinforced sword in continuous slashes in the air.

 _'That posture is familiar, but I do not remember where'_ Thought Ummo before shooting another  Suiton Dan: Shachi (Water Release Bullet: Orca) towards his opponent who eludes him again by jumping with the intention of stabbing him from above, Ummo dodged the thrust and wielded a kunai with a hooked blade and a serrated edge; Native to Kirigakure. Especually usefull to maim opponents.

Channeling a little chakra on the blade, he defended himself against the numerous thrusts that his opponent was directing him, but soon he was also avoiding some vicious kicks in the middle of the duel with blades.

Both shinobi continued wrapped in a lethal dance. The smallest figure, completely covered by Foxface (O Uzumaki Naruto, but Ummo did not have to know that) and the one of Ummo Samidare. What the first had of agility and numerous techniques more designed to kill that to harm the other compensated it with experience and brutality.

Naruto took a thrust by a deadly angle to the side of the jounin who managed to skim the little but experienced the pulsating sensation of the vacuum knife cutting his jacket and touching the flesh of his torso.

Ummo grunted of rage as he directed a very unorthodox kick to the side of his opponent who managed to dodge in time and jumped over him with his blade raised high to cross.

 _'Tch,he is good, even better than I even'_ Thought' Ummo before using his technical signature to escape a certain death. He appeared in one of the passages of the complex that overlooked the courtyard but instantly he noticed something was wrong. Where was the other?

The answer came in the form of a shadow projecting on the wall and a blade passing only a few inches from his face.

 **xXx**

Daisuke was not a very brave person, much less risky. When that blade had passed by him, only a few inches from his face, he thought he was dead. But instead he had been struck with the blinding light emitted by a small sphere attached to the kunai's ring.

As his vision returned, he wished he had not looked forward. Especially when he met face to face with a horrifying mask looking at him. A haunting piece of porcelain with only two diagonal fissures and the 'Root' kanji as unique distinguishable features. A black cloak with the hood and top concealed his body completely with the exception of one of the arms covered by a kind of long sleeve with a shade a little lighter than the mantle, except that that hand held a sword of medium size and quite sharp aspect.

"P-please y-you can not kill me" Tried to beg the nobleman just to feel like the tip of the sword perched on his belly. Quietly, the other hand removed the 'mask' and Daisuke met face to face with the whiskered face of Naruto who merely grinned in return with his bright azure eyes shinning dangerously.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Daisuke Furusaki, noble from Hi no Kuni, close relative of the current Daimyō and one of the ten wealthiest men in the Elemental Nations. Who would have thought that his favorite hobbies include slave trade to the countries of the South?"

"Please, I beg you, I'll give you everything you want, money, women, EVERYTHING, but do not kill me!"

"Oh please, shut up you miserable bastard" Sneered Naruto. "You really believed that we would never know about your 'cute' business in Cha and Umi no Kuni?" It took a lot of you to create the cover and hide it, but eventually you quit when you passed certain rumors about Konohagakure in the population. Retaliation requires a lot of balls. " Naruto continued obviously enjoying the panic-stricken face of the man he had cornered. "Even though something tells me you do not have them."

The man's face was paler than the wall. "Please, I'm so sorry. I'll give anything, just spare me, spare me."

Naruto sneered. "People who cannot see from past their own noses are trash. I don't have qualms in killing them."

Daisuke looked uneasily at the nearby window, but Naruto's electric blue eyes followed. "Calling your bodyguard will not do you any good. He's very busy dealing with something of mine, but do not worry, he'll be joining you very soon. Now, it seems I understand that this place was made ashes after a certain irresponsible nobleman had accidentally set fire to him. Apparently, your body was so burned that there was no sign of murder. "

Daisuke was horrified to hear that but Naruto did not care at all. In fact, he took his time to start a small chain of hand seals. "Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Clone Technique)"

From his mouth emerged a stream of water that began to take a shape identical to his own. The copy even adopted the same smile and pointed its own sword to his neck where he held it.

"Sorry for the inconvenience" Naruto said with a sneer before bitting his own thumb and doing a single hand seals and punping his hand on the floor. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"

A small cloud of smoke sprout from the ground and dissipated revealing a brown salamander of more than three meters long . The amphibian raised his head as he looked at his summoner.

"Ahh, Hizetsū, you know what to do, light him up!"

Hizetsū nodded before opening his mouth. **" Katon: Shakudan (Fire Release Scorching Bullet)"**

A sphere of fire began to form in his mouth before he fired at the terrified nobleman who could only scream until the ardent projectile enveloped him completely.

To finish off, he felt something break and his nose caught the smell of sake that began to burn even more his body. Their cries did not come to pass of the habitation, especially by all the tags with the kanji of sound trazed in its centers and placed in the walls.

 **xXx**

Ummo could hardly believe it. His opponent, undoubtedly much younger than he was overtaking in every angle. It had been a surprise to have faced a group of clones of water that seemed to contain enough chakra to hold out for some time.

"Suiton: Sandan no Jutsu (Water Release: Scattering Bullets Technique)"

Ummo made his own chain of stamps. "Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Formation Wall)"

From his mouth emerged a wall of concentrated water that managed to absorb the numerous water-boring bullets that were about to shoot him. But he was forced to release the Jutsu when one of the clones attacked behind him with the intention of stabbing his side.

Ummo rolled over the ground before launching a wave of kunai towards his pursuer and stopping with another thrust. He had already killed three of the clones and only three others remained, a part of him doubted that the origiinal was among them and surely had been in charge of dispatching his contractor, in more normal times he would have tried to flee but his way was Blocked for copies of water that did not cease in their attacks.

He rose with a vicious punch to the abdomen of the clone that had it in a blockade, the copy of water was made back while it began to dissolve in water.

But the other appeared behind and prepared a single hand seal. "Suiton: Tenkyū (Water Release: Heavenly Weeeping)"

From his mouth sprouted a group of senbon at great speed that ended up clinging to the sword of Ummo causing a growl of pain, the clone seemed to smile momentarily behind his mascarantes of throwing with the sword in high ready to deliver the definitive blow.

He tried to make himself worse but only felt as the blade crossed him killing him almost instantly.

The clone of water ended up dissolving just as the original entered the yard. Naruto looked at the cadillac of Kirigakure's jōnin and shrugged.

"In the end my clones managed to kill him, do not need your help after all," Hesaid.

 **"But you're going to require my chakra eventually kit, do not think using A-rank techniques will get you very free, especially when you use them in excess."**

"Shut up furball!"

Naruto sighed , at least his work was done, now he only had to 'fix the place' and with fix referred to ...

From his cloak he extracted a sphere of explosive labels and hurled it towards the nearest building. A hissing sound alerted him that the explosive seals were already active, which he checked a few minutes later when a detonation followed an explosion of flames from the same place.

"I should had brought marshmallow" Naruto commented while listening to numerous detonations in the complex. Before confronting the guards, he had planted numerous explosive spheres in different places and by means of the technique Fūinjutsu: Senkei Shoshiki (Sealing Technique: Lineal Formation.) He had interconnected them. He also didnt had to worry about getting stuck in the fire, because an invissible barrier composed of a series of Kekkai Fuda (Barrier Tags) where put around the central yard to kept the fire out as long as his chakra signature didn't left the complex.

"Well, lets get out of here." Commented the red-haired Root Operative before concentrating on channeling chakra from the only seal he had engraved on his body, any other person would have believed that his eyes had turned red by the reflection of the flames but that did not explain the pupil in the form of a bar.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"

A cloud of smoke a little older dissipated revealing a salamander of at least three times bigger than Naruto. The huge amphibian raised his head as if nodding and looked at the corpse of the jōnin of the Hidden Mist with somethinh akin to hunger. Naruto shook his head before extracting from the inside of his cloak a slightly larger-sized scroll.

"Nope, I'm sorry, Sanshōuo, but that's not for you. Samidare-san will spend the rest of the trip inside my Kyū Makimoto (Scroll Coffin)."Commented Naruto while sealing his opponent's corpse within the scroll. "Besides, he's going to be dead a long, long time."

Naruto finished sealing the corpse of his opponent in the scroll and kept it inside his mantle. He closed his eyes and sighed, knowing full well that the next thing would not suit him at all.

"Just do it Sanshōuo."

The giant salamander nodded before swallowing it completely.

 _'I've been living with these monstrosities for more than four years and I still do not get accustomed to this.'_ Thought Naruto from the stomach of his summon. He had brooded about the fact that his natural affinity where Salamanders for a very long time but at the end, he had been convinced. The overgrown lizards where quite usefull.

Sanshōuo began to dig until he was completely underground, and on the basis of his superior senses of orientation began to move towards the nearby creek.

As soon as the young Uzumaki's chakra signal left the yard and barred it behind, the labels lost their source of power and gave way to the flames to be able to consume the entire complex completely.

 _'I wonder who will have to pay for all the damages. Neh, it's not my problem, I do not pay taxes. '_

* * *

 **Techniques Glossary:**

 **Name:** Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment )

 **Classification:** Hijutsu. Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** N/A.

 **Class:** Supplementary.

 **Range:** All.

 **Description:** The Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment is a sensory technique, unique to certain members of the Uzumaki Clan, that allows the user to sense chakra with exceptional detail. By focusing and opening the mind's eye, the user is able to find and track an individual's chakra over a vast distance (It varies from individual). By further focusing his or her chakra, the user can extend this range to far greater distances.T his ability also gives him or her the capability to perceive fluctuations in a person's chakra made when a person is lying or if someone, including him or her, is under a genjutsu. Also, by focusing on a particular chakra, the user can perceive ther target's movements and surrounding area with great detail. These sensory capabilities bless the user with abilities that even surpass dōjutsu with comparable powers, like the Byakugan of the Hyūga Clan and the misterious dōjutsu of Mizu no Kuni.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Otokyū Fūin (Sound Absorbtion Seal)

 **Classification:** Fūinjutsu.

 **Rank:** D-rank.

 **Class: ** Supplementary.

 **Range: ** All.

 **Description:** The Sound Absortion Seal is a sealing technique that, incorporated onto a solid surface is capable of isolate sound waves from a certain place to another until the chakra current stops. The range varies form the user sealing skills. There is also a variation that absorbs the sounds and records them enough times for the user to hear the content.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

 **Name:** Suiton: Mizugakure no Justu (Water Release: Hiding in Water Technique)

 **Clasification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** C-rank.

 **Class:** Supplementary.

 **Range:** N/A.

 **Description:** The user moulds with water to be undetected by the enemy. It was shown that this technique is usable even in water as shallow as a puddle. While leaving concealment, water simply appears on the floor and rises, revealing the user.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Meisaigakure no Jutsu (Hiding with Camouflage Technique)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** A-rank.

 **Class:** Supplementary.

 **Range:** N/A.

 **Description:** This is a ninja escape technique that allows the user to control how light is reflected around their body with chakra inflections. The technique also erases the user's scent and shadow, and is usable on any terrain, making it ideal not only for covert manoeuvres but also offensive strikes. Perceiving the user's position is possible only for ninja who are astute enough to observe minute variations within their surrounding environment, such as distortions of air currents in the immediate vicinity or distinguishing sounds, i.e. footsteps etc. The usefulness of this ability can be entirely negated by those with special vision, i.e. dōjutsu or sensory skills, except for particularly adept users, who can completely erase even their chakra signature with it.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Kaifū no Jutsu (Unsealing Technique)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu, Fūinjutsu.

 **Rank:** D-rank.

 **Class:** Supplementary.

 **Range:** N/A.

 **Description:** Using this technique, a shinobi will release what was sealed within a scroll or piece of paper.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Kenjutsu: Nagare (Sword Technique: Current)

 **Classification:** Kenjutsu, Chakra Flow.

 **Rank:** C-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Close-range.

 **Description:** A Chakra Flow technique used as training by the ones that hope to study that area. It is able to engulf the blade of the user in a layer of chakra augmenting their cutting power and endurance. However, while clashing with another powered blade, is visibly inferior.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Hadan (Rupture)

 **Classification:** Chakra Flow, Kenjutsu.

 **Rank:** N/A.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Short-range.

 **Description:** A samurai exclusive technique. The user violently swings their chakra-enhanced sword with the intention of striking an approaching opponent, releasing a wave of chakra to cut a target.

 **Users:** Unnamed Fire Country Samurai.

* * *

 **Name: ** Uzumaki-Ryū: Kusanagi no Jutsu (Whirpool-Style: Grass-Mowing Technique)

 **Classification: ** Kenjutsu, Chakra Flow.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Short to Mid-range.

 **Description:** A Chakra Flow technique combined with Kenjutsu developed by the Uzumaki Clan. After performing certain moves that replace the use of hand seals and channeling chakra to the blade, a chakra extension will emerge from the tip when the user shakes the sword in a slash form causing serious damage to the opponent.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Issen (Beam of Light)

 **Classification:** Kenjutsu, Chakra Flow.

 **Rank:** N/A.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Mid to large.

 **Description:** A swift ranged attack where the user swings their sword at a target after coating it in chakra, releasing a sharp crescent of chakra in the arc that the blade was swung.

 **Users:** Unnamed Fire Country Samurai.

* * *

 **Name:** Uzumaki-Ryū: Shōja (Whirpool-Style: Serpent Thrust)

 **Classification:** Kenjutsu, Chakra Flow.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Mid to-large.

 **Description:** A Kenjutsu technique created by the Uzumaki Clan. After executing the required movements and channeling the required amount of chakra to the sword, the user manifests a serpentine-like chakra build that attacks the opponent by simulating a real snake, if it strikes, the alleged bite consists of a direct blow to Several points Tenketsu causing pain to the opponent and rendering it useless at the same time.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Fūton: Shinkūha (Wind Release: Vacuum Wave)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** All ranges.

 **Description:** The user takes a deep breath and spins while exhaling, compressing the released air into a solitary blade of wind that covers a substantial area around the user, due to their circular motion. The resulting sharpened blast is large enough to slice through multiple targets located at a significant distance from the user, causing grievous injuries to those hit.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Suiton Dan: Shachi (Water Release Bullet: Orca)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Short to Mid-range.

 **Description:** The user sends a huge surge of water crashing down onto the enemy, which with the intensity of the waves produced, restricts their movements.

 **Users:** Ummo Samidare.

* * *

 **Name:** Fūton: Reppūshō (Wind Release: Gale Palm)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu

 **Rank:** C-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive, Supplementary.

 **Range:** Short to Mid-range.

 **Description:** A simple technique whereby when the user clasps their hands together, wind is compressed and transformed into a powerful gale. This technique, when used as an isolated attack, has the power to easily knock over a human. Though the true value comes from using it together with projectile weapons like shuriken or kunai. Their speed, power, and ability to wound or even kill are all increased several times.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12)

* * *

 **Name:** Raiton: Raikyū (Lightning Release: Lightning Ball)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Short to Mid-range.

 **Description:** By gathering chakra in his hand, the user can create a ball of electrical energy and launch it at the enemy. When it makes contact with the enemy, it electrocutes them and throws them back.

 **Users:** Ummo Samidare.

* * *

 **Name:** Fūton: Shinkūjin (Wind Release: Vacuum Blade)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu, Kenjutsu, Chakra Flow, Shurikenjutsu.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** All.

 **Description:** The user exhales wind-infused chakra onto a weapon in order to increase its sharpness, range and lethality. For example, the user can infuse a kunai to resemble a makeshift scimitar or infuse shuriken to increase their range and cutting power. In the case of the kunai, wind-natured chakra, which envelopes the weapon, has a distinctive light green colouring.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Clone Technique)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu, Bunshinjutsu.

 **Rank:** C-rank.

 **Class:** Supplementary.

 **Range:** N/A.

 **Description:** The Water Clone Technique uses water as a medium to create clones of the user. Like shadow clones, these clones have displayed the ability to perform techniques. Unlike shadow clones, however, water clones only possess one-tenth of the user's power. The range of the clone is also limited, as it cannot travel very far from the original body without losing form. When these clones are struck with a sufficient amount of damage, they will revert to their water form.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **Name:** Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu, Jikudan Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** C-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive, Deffensive, Supplementary.

 **Range:** All.

 **Description:** The Summoning Technique is a space–time ninjutsu that allows the summoner to transport animals or people across long distances instantly and uses blood as a sacrifice.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (Salamanders).

* * *

 **Name:** Katon: Shakudan (Fire Release Scorching Bullet)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** C-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** All.

 **Description:** A technique used by salamanders possessing an elemental affinity for fire. After concentrating fire chakra in his lungs, the salamndra accumulates it in the form of a concnetrado projectile that soon shoots by the mouth. As soon as it hits something solid, the flames spread on the target wrapping it in fire.

 **Users:** Hizetsū.

* * *

 **Name:** Suiton: Sandan no Jutsu (Water Release: Scattering Bullets Technique)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Mid to Long-range.

 **Description:** The user sends a wide volley of water bullets at his opponent, delivering several sequential hits.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (Water Clone).

* * *

 **Name:** Suiton: Suijinheki (Water Release: Water Formation Wall)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu.

 **Rank:** C-rank.

 **Class:** Deffensive, Supplementary.

 **Range:** Short to Mid-range.

 **Description:** This defensive technique creates a wall of water around the user. Enemy attacks are completely intercepted by a fence of water blown out from the mouth, and is raised from below with tremendous might. The water is blown out in the form of a circle around the user, and it makes for a defence without openings. It is also possible for the user to control the amount of water and duration at will. The wall's strength and resistance change following the quantity of chakra poured down into the water, so a skilful shinobi will be able to build a sturdy one. Furthermore, because the field of vision is maintained even while defending one can easily go on to the next move, which is a great advantage. The wall can also be formed from a pre-existing water source.

 **Users:** Ummo Samidare.

* * *

 **Name:** Suiton: Tenkyū (Water Release: Heavenly Weeeping)

 **Classification:** Ninjutsu, Shurikenjutsu.

 **Rank:** B-rank.

 **Class:** Offensive.

 **Range:** Short to Mid-range.

 **Description:** A technique in which chakra is kneaded in the user's body, transformed into water and then shaped into senbon in the mouth before finally being expelled at a high velocity. The needles are shot in an attempt to catch the enemy off guard, while also aiming at their vitals.

 **Users:** Naruto Uzumaki (12).

* * *

 **A/N:** **Well, after three hellish weeks, the chapter is here. Some may notice the chronological order of the chapter somewhat confusing and that is the intention. I am sure that several of the previous events generated several questions, several of which would be answered in the next chapter which will be a kind of guide to everything that happened during the 8/9 years of difference.**

 **I am aware that I altered too many temporal data or invent them (as the brief history of Kirigakure) but all of it will have its purpose (Eventually) since this will be a very long trip, a very long trip I would say. *Cough*120 *Cough.**

 **I would also like to clarify a few things before proceeding with this story.**

 **1) There will be no Bashing to any specific character, although I find it as something entertaining. I also consider that it takes off seriousness to the story so if you are hoping to continuously highlight the negative aspects of some specific character, forget it.**

 **2) Although I am normally open to suggestions (I have been thinking about this story for more than 7 months and I have the whole premise almost complete but I've some holes in the plot.) There are some details that will not change.**

 **3) I will try to develop as many characters as I can, including some who did not have as much role in the Canon line or even others that only appeared in other sources. I.e., Movies, Novels, Anime. But maybe some others did not have as much relevance (or zero plane) so if your favorite character is one of them, I'm really sorry.**

 **4)** **The tags for the story are the next ones:**

 **Uzumaki!Naruto.**

 **Root/Foundation!Naruto.**

 **Fūinjutsu!Naruto (It's quite obvious at this point.)**

 **Smarter/Stronger!Naruto.**

 **AU with multiple departure points**

 **Non-Toad Summoning (Believe me, With what I have planned with the salamanders, Naruto is not going to miss the Frogs)**

 **About the pairings, let's just said that it will be a surprise. (Not Yaoi. It will be a cold day in Hell when I decide to write that.)**

 **Others will be added eventually, but for now, stay in tune. Expect the next chapter (Hopefully) the 22/23 of March.**

 **[1]R= I've another project planned that consist in a series of Naruto eventually joining Kirigakure after fighting in the Bloodline War. It was partially inspired by 'Mizukage' of Dragon6 and 'Naruto of the Hidden Mist.'**

 **-Ezequiel Kirishiki- (09/03/17)**

 **Next Time:** **Low (Lie).**


	4. His Fault

**A/N:** **Been a while isn't it? Now we are eight years into the future. As you can see below, this world is quite different from Canon one.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything related with both the Anime and Manga, all those are the property of his author (Masashi Kishimoto) and I'm only playing with the sandbox that he created.**

* * *

 **Whirlpool's Heir.**

 **Arc One: "The Foxface (Root) Genin."**

 **Chapter Two: Low (Lie).**

* * *

 **Key:**

"Voice"

 _'Thinking'_

"Summoning/Jutsu!"

 **"Summon/Bijū talking"**

 ** _'Summon/Bijū_ _thinking'_**

* * *

(Location: Naruto's Mindscape/Present Time.)

"Well, it was a good time." Commented Naruto after watching the memory of his mission to eliminate the Kirigakure Jōnin and his benefactor.

"If we ignore the fact that I'd to take at least three showers to get rid of the stinking miasma that I got from Sanshōuo's stomach." Groaned Naruto,"Kami, those salamanders are completely clueless about oral hygiene apparently."

 **"That was a month ago, you need to remember what happened today!"** Pointed out the Kyuubi from behind the bars of his cage.

A lightbulb glittered over Naruto's head before he rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish expression on his face.

"Oh yeah, right." He said while focusing his chakra on a single ram hand seal. Behind him, the black mark with the kanji for Yin glowed before releasing a black-like stream that flew towards him.

"I'm hardly a master, or at least a decent user of the Inton (Yin Release) but at least I'm quite handy using my mindscape." He commented while letting the stream flowinto his body.

 **"At least this is better than the sewer that it used to be before you learned to mold it, the brown-haired girl helped you a lot with this."** Added the fox as he waved his tails. **"And you used to use seals for that before."**

"I always use seals for everyting, you stupid fox." Replied the red-haired boy from his place. "You, of all people are the one who should know it."

 **"Whatever kit,"** Replied the strongest of the Bijuu **"Just don't forget that you neglected several things in your pursuit of your heritage, like your hand-to-hand combat prowress or your general-knowledge."**

Naruto stuck his tongue out of his mouth as he continued to channel the flow of the memory.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," He nolanchantly replied ," It would'd hardly been useful last time. I hightly doubt that a few kicks would had made a dent in the armor of a pair of samurai. There is nothing better than a blade well placed at the right angle."

 **"And what about the times when you were forced to use my chakra?"** The fox added. **"In those times you could hardly use your sword, not to mention that you do not have much control either."**

"Oh please, shut your snout. I'm trying to focus here." Naruto continued as he closed his eyes and ignored the murmur of his resident.

 **"Spoilsport."**

Naruto abruptly opened his eyes and was carried away by the trance that accompanied the revision of previous memories. It had taken almost nothing to locate them but to channel them again. He was no Yamanaka so the mastery of the mental arts was hardly his forte, not to mention his massive reserves of chakra and his regular control of these, which was achieved by many years of effort. But, well, those were the disadvantages of having inside you a beast that could uncontrollably destroy an entire country in a few days, for fun.

The advantages at least were worth it.

 _'Well, let's see what the fuck I did today to end up being persecuted to death by my previous instructor of the Academy and because this was not Sasaki-sensei, the one that I would expect.'_

* * *

(Location: Kikyō Castle/That Morning.)

The sun was just starting to rise, painting the sky in oranges and yellows. People began to slowly wake up and start their day, merchants getting there shops ready, parents making breakfast for their children, and children getting ready to go to school. Like always it was a normal the sun shone into his room throught the window. Uzumaki Naruto groaned, turning over so the light wouldn't hit his eyes and he could remain asleep and dream of swiming in a giant-sized bowl of ramen. Unfortunately for him, the alarm clock that he had set began blaring.

BEEP!BEEP! BEEP!

"GAH!" Naruto shouted as he fell out of bed. Blinking he looked around as his vision began to clear. He stood up and shut off his alarm, yawning loudly as he stretched. He looked back at the alarm clock and sighed. Oh, how did he hated that thing but he resisted the urge of using it as kunai throwing practice since it was a gift from his grandfather-like figure.

A little confused, he look at the clock to see the time. It was still a little early but he could not remember the reason why he had set the alarm, in fact, he rarely had a good memory (as long as it was not about jutsu and sealing formulae, which he actually remembered correctly).

Then he fixed his eyes on the calendar hanging on the wall or rather, the date that was surrounded by a red circle.

"Oh shit, today is the graduation exam!" He frantically yelled before running towards the bathroom door and closing it after he had passed. Once inside, Naruto turned on the shower and quickly disappeared. The cold contact of the cold water finished waking him up.

He had always liked the water, which made sense to see that it was one of his two elemental affinities besides that he had been accustomed to that for a long time, in addition to that for some strange reason, the hot water seldom went to the Building where he lived which seemed to be abandoned on the outside without mentioning that it looked more like a temple.

Finished washing Naruto turned off the water, grabbed a towel and dried himself off. Moving back into his room, Naruto moved over to the closet. Opening it up revealed his entire collection of clothes. Most were simple black t-shirts with a red spiral in the center. Cheap, easy to find and durable. You could also see a pair of net style t-shirts and a slightly tight mesh suit. From the other side a pair of jackets were hanging. From a black navy jacket to a horrifying bright orange track suit that I had managed to buy. Naruto was completely sure that he had never used it in his life.

At the end he decided on a gray jacket with the olive green sleeves and the Uzumaki crest engraved on his back with the usual crimson color and a smaller white engraved on the left arm on a black band.

Black pants with a pouch tightened and reinforced with bandages on the left leg was the following that the pick up. And finally, he left the dressing room in the direction of a hidden box next to the bed and extracted a finely worked ninjato that ended up to stop inside his jacket where a seal was already placed.

"Like I'm leaving Guren (Crimson Lotus) here." Naruto said as he left the room and walked to the kitchen on the first floor.

Opening his cupboard the redhead grabbed one of his cups of ramen, opening it up and pouring some water in it. He moved over to his microwave and opened it up, placing the ramen in it and setting the timer for three his former ANBU guardians where there, he would have been reproached for his insanity for that meal, but two years ago, the old Hokage had already convinced himself that Naruto was a big boy and he didn't need home-surveillance, something that made the eye of Naruto twitch. If only the old man knew which things did the ANBu had done during their _'_ **Surveillance.'**

As soon as the beep sounded Naruto opened the microwave grabbed the ramen and a pair of chopsticks and began to eat in silence.

Once the food is finished. The cup went to the trash can that was next to the door. Naruto did not take long to leave the building where he had lived all his life (Technically he had lived in others but there was no way some people would know). He did not bother to lock the door, after all, he knew perfectly well what was waiting for the poor imbecile who tried to enter like if he was welcome. He could even said that he pitied his or her fate.

Then, he remembered something. When he had looked at the clock hanging on the wall of his kitchen, only fifteen minutes where left for the class to start.

"Well, shit" Snapped Naruto before starting to run throught the street.

Shit indeed.

 **xXx**

(Location: Konoha Shinobi Academy/Thirteen Minutes Later.)

After about thirteen minutes of running at full speed, evading numerous trausers and tripping with others, greet the distant Ichiraku owner and kick a dog, Naruto managed to reach the doors of the Academy.

He ignored the dirty glances that the parents devoted to him, accompanied by those of his sons' confusion. He was used to it, then he would make them pay.

He ran down the aisle at a much greater speed, avoiding some instructors on the way, as well as disoriented pupils, but he could not help but break through two figures, one dressed in red and one in purple.

"Look where you walk Baka!"

Naruto heard the indignant squaks of protest. "Sorry, sorry," he said, without even turning because he had seen the classroom door a few yards away. Taking a small impulse, he ran and ended by sliding through the door to finish inside the class.

"Did I arrived late?" Naruto asked as he look around. In doing so he realized two things. **1)** None of the two instructors were in the classroom and **2)** Apparently several places were occupied and some of their occupants had seen his entrance, he seemed to see a pale boy in the second row noting something in his notebook just to show a 8.5 written when he lift it.

"Well, everybody is critic" Said the redhead before looking for an empty seat. Naruto was disgruntled when the only open one he could find was the one next to Uchiha Sasuke or "The resident genious of the generation". Not being able to find anywhere else to sit Naruto moved over to face the raven haired boy.

"Yo Sasuke!"Naruto said by way of greeting hearing gasps from behinds his back when he said it. Apparently none dared to talk to the resident brooder, because if you tried, the only answer you had was...

"Hn"

Naruto merely rolled his eyes at the response he received, having grown used to that kind of response. Hell, that was the only response Sasuke gave anyone, even the teachers had trouble getting more out of him. The only one quieter then Sasuke was Aburame Shino, a member of the famed Aburame Clan, and Naruto used to be convinced that he was mute.

"Hey, all places are occupied. Do you mind if I sit here? It's just for today."

"Hn"

Naruto decided to take that as a 'Yes' and occupied the vacant seat next to the blue clad boy. He muttered a silent apology during a quick glance to Yakumo who was seated two rows behind who only waved at him in response. He barely had a chance of extracting his book from his jacket when the door suddenly slammed and the two figures from before entered the classroom.

"I WIN!"

"No way! My footh crossed the line first forehead!"

"Ha! You wish Ino-pig"

Ino Yamanaka, the heiress of the famed Yamanaka Clan and Sakura Haruno, the top of the year kunoichi and from civilian background. Also the two most loudest of the class, and they usually lead the fight over the female body of the class of fawning over the Uchiha. Naruto had once though about asking his Jiji if they used to have those problems in his generation.

 _'Gah. That's why they sounded so familiar in the hallway'_ Mentally groaned Naruto before attempting to focus on his book _Chronicle of the First Shinobi World War_ by _Kagami Uchiha_ . Keyword: 'Attempted'.

When he felt a shadow projecting in front of him, he did not need to turn to know who he was, but fortunately he knew it was not for him.

"Sasuke-kun, would you like me to sit next to you?" Sakura asked in her typical voice that made Naruto feel like hitting his head against his desk.

 _'This is my punishment for sitting here, is not it?'_ The redhead wondered as he listened to the new plot, this time about who should sit next to 'Sasuke-kun'.

"-bviously he would rather that I was sitting there!" Snapped Ino at her rival who was clenching her fists while hearing that. Some of the students were already looking in that direction suddenly interested, after all a good cat fight was always welcome.

Naruto simply decided he could not stand it anymore.

"Excuse me," he ventured to ask.

"What do you want?" Asked the two girls at the same time. Maybe it was her imagination, but she seemed to see flames in their eyes for a second.

 _'Scary'_ Thought Naruto before continuing.

"Look, I'm going to get up from here and look for another place, you two can occupy both places, you do not mind, Sasuke, do you?"

The look that the obsidian-colored boy addressed him seemed to indicate that the last Uchiha did not appreciate the fact of being abandoned to his fate with his two most annoying fans, but Naruto did not care at all.

"Hmm, we'll take that as a 'Yes,'" he said after a few seconds before getting up from his seat and offering it to the two girls. Sakura was more fast and took it almost inmediatedly but also muttered a quick 'Thanks' to which Naruto nodded in aknowledgment.

The Uzumaki looked around for another place to sit until his gaze fixed on the last line on the left which was occupied exclusively by Shino Aburame who seemed to be oblivious to the previous commotion. Naruto walked over and saluted his silent companion, who at least deigned to turn and offer a slight nod of his head in recognition. Naruto took the place next to the boy with the dark glasses and he waited. And waited

And waited.

After a while Iruka, the Chūnin academy instructor for the academy, came in with Mizuki, his assistant, following close behind him.

"Alright class, it's time for the test to see who you are ready to receive their head band and become ninja of Konoha," Iruka said. Naruto could not help but grin while hearing that.

 _'I'm more than capable of this. I only need to pass and then, bye, bye to the Academy and hello complete freedom '_ Thought with confidence but was wary of voicing out his thoughts.

"Now," Iruka continued smiling. "The first thing we will do is the written exam, which will ask questions about all the topics we have seen since the beginning of your stay."

'You don't say' Was the general thought.

"Please remember that, although this test is not the only qualification you will receive, try to get as many points as you can or at least offset them with the kunai throwing test or the Taijutsu duels. "

Mizuki distributed the test sheets in the rows giving polite smiles to the students, especially those who seemed to want the earth to swallow them. When he reached the last, he gave Naruto another smile and returned it with his eyes closed.

 _'Did I mention that I **hate** that fucking smile?'_

"And now you can start," Sounded Iruka's voice from the front of the room, "Do not rush, you have more than three hours to complete it."

As soon as he said that, all the students started answering the questions. Well everyone except Naruto who had been stuck seeing the first one.

"Describe the trajectory of a kunai thrown at such speed and directed towards such speed and blah, blah, blah?" Naruto read in low voice. "I could swear we never saw this in class."

He ran his hand over the leaf and frowned. While it was true that he needed to use his sensory technique to identify foreign signatures, he could easily detect chakra flows on a surface and at the same time he was detecting one.

"Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment.)"

His vision became negative and the silhouettes of the people around him turned blue, signaling his chakra signatures. Ignoring that, Naruto turned his gaze to his exmen sheet and checked for his satisfaction a chakra pattern he knew quite well.

 _'A Genjutsu? This is Magen: Kononi Arazu no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: False Surroundings Technique). Who the fuck put it and why it's on my exam? '_

Naruto narrowed his eyes while he dispelled the Genjutsu and turned off his Mind Eye. Instantly, the sheet changed and revealed a regular exam with more familiar questions. Then he decided to answer. Unlike the other, it contained fairly easy questions, most of which were from the history of the village and very few of these were centered around the rest of the shinobi world. For example:

 **Question # 24. Which of the following was the Shinobi Power that was completely defeated by Konohagakure in the Third Great War?**

 **A) Kumogakure.**

 **B) Kirigakure.**

 **C) Iwagakure.**

 **D) Sunagakure.**

Naruto sighed mentally as he read that. He wondered for a moment what would a Iwa genin thought about it, but he ended up shrugging it off and moving on to the next. The Iwagakure genin would'd probably destroyed the paper or curse the name of the Yondaime Hokage.

 **Question # 25. Name at least four outstanding shinobi produced throughout the history of Konohagakure. Not counting the four Hokage.**

That was interesting. Naruto wrote the names of the Sannin and after a minute he decided to put Sasumo Hatake as the fourth.

The next questions were no more difficult and Naruto sighed relieved to see that his test was complete. He look around to see that most were still stuck in the half with the notable exceptions of Sakura, Sasuke, Yakumo and Shino apparently.

 _'Shikamaru has not finished? How strange, I thought he would.'_ Thought Naruto while looking for the boy with pineapple hair-style. However he found him sleeping with his head above the test. _'Hmm, nevermind that._ ' Thought Naruto with a sweatdrop.

The class continued until Iruka called and indicated that it was time to deliver the exams, there were some slight protests that were over when Mizuki stepped again to pick up the papers. When he arrived with Naruto, Mizuki gave a sideways glance at his paper, which Naruto noticed and made him narrow his eyes when the silver-haired chuunin was not looking.

 _'What are you playing Mizuki-'sensei'?'_ He thought while looking at him when he was walking. He was so distracted that Shino had to poke him in the arm to indicate him that everybody was going outside for the physical part of the test. The red-haired boy muttered a quick 'thanks' to his stoic companion and walked towards the door like everybody else.

"Okay, please wait there."Iruka indicated as he pointed to two red lines on the floor. Future shinobi and kunoichi lined up behind each one by height, much to the displeasure of Naruto who despite having trained from an early age, for some reason his body remained stubbornly at a lesser height.

"The test consists of using both kunai and shuriken to reach the targets from there. The outer rings consist of venues, the interiors consisting of 40, and the center consists of 100. They have two attempts. " Iruka indicated as he started the test.

Chōji, being the lowest of the boys got a total of 60 points in total, which earned him a few cheers from the audience. Kiba followed him but for his bad luck, his aim was not so good and finished with only 40.

"Tch, I'll make it up in the Taijustu duels," Snarled the Inuzuka, which Akamaru barked at agreeing.

Naruto stepped in third and drew a pair of kunai from his pouch. Iruka raised an eyebrow at that but said nothing, it was not so unusual to see even pupil using the two attempts in one.

For his part, Naruto concentrated narrowing his eyes and threw the two blades resisting the urge to clap and say Fūton:Reppūshō (Wind Release: Gale Palm). The two kunai flew and ended up nailed. One in the center of the target and another in the inner ring, thus gaining about 140 points.

Most of the audience clapped and when the redhaaead returned he was gretted by Kiba who only muttered:

"Show off"

"You wish." replied Naruto letting an smirk to grace his lips. "The real show off comes next."

It was true, because when Sasuke appeared for his turn he was greeted with various applause and squeals of the female body of the class with the exception of two people. Kiba growled visibly as he watched as Naruto rolled his eyes. 'If it is the volume they make when it appears What happens if I write a larger amount?'

Then Sasuke extracted two shuriken from his own pouch, which caused another roll of redhead's eyes that resisted the urges to say out loud what he thought.

 _'Typical Uchiha, they copy everything they see.'_

A snort was heard in the back of his mind but he ignored it. Now was not the time to deal with more Bijuu bullshit. He also resisted the impulse to rub his ears when he heard the numerous groans of admiration that the fans of the black-and-white emitted to see that this had achieved the same mark that he. This was not surprising, since all Uchiha had different degrees of natural affinity for Shurikenjutsu as well as Genjutsu.

 _'Funny. It is like the universal affinity of the Senju and the Uzumaki one to Kenjutsu and Fūinjutsu, '_ Thought Naruto while seeing the two shuriken nailed to the target. _'It seems that the Holy Trinity of the Shinobi Clans has its marks.'_

After about fifteen minutes. The kunai test was over and the results were fully revealed.

Of the boys, Naruto and Sasuke remained in the lead followed by Shino. All three with high scores. Behind them came Idate Morino who apparently had applied too much this year, already determined not to be the Dead-last of the class. And behind him, with passable qualifications came Chouji and Shikamaru, the only one who did not get the minimum of 60 was Kiba who was visibly annoyed with that. Annoyance that disappeared when it was announced that the following were the Taijutsu matches.

Of the girls was surprisingly Ino Yamanaka who remained in the lead followed by Yakumo who seemed to be satisfied by his position. Sakura was in third place while Hinata Hyuuga, a shy-looking girl with the typical eyes of her famous clan was in the middle.

"Okay, class, now we're going to practice Taijutsu."

Of the boys, only Shino and Naruto noticed Kiba's blood-thirsty smile and turned away slightly, neither of them possessed such melee skills in the art of Hand-to-hand Combat and with some luck, Kiba would end up being paired with Sasuke and would receive a beating as always, and they would probbably laught at that. Or at least only Naruto.

Iruka, oblivious to all this, entered the track where the small sand was marked with white lines. At the center he was waiting for another of the Taijutsu instructors.

Haise Sasaki was a young man who barely reached the age of twenty. Tall, with pale hair with black roots and circular glasses on his face. He was dressed in the same vest that most of his rank carried, but with the exception that a gray trench coat covered the vest. His hitai-ate was on his right arm.

"Ahh, Iruka-san. I was just expecting you. I take that Taijutsu portion of the Exam?" He asked with his usual gentle voice. With a _Too_ gentle one.

Haise also waved at the class who took care of greeting him enthusiastically. Naruto once again resisted an urge, but this time the one of snort.

 _'If only they knew'_ Naruto thought while rolling his eyes. Posture that he has quickly changed when he felt the piercing gray-eyed gaze of the academy instructor who maintained his smile seeing that.

 _'How come they do not notice that he is creepy as hell?'_ He wondered for the hundreth time not noticing that the matches where up.

"Well, the first round will be between Shino Aburame and Satoshi Rentaro." Announce Iruka as both boys step into the arena. Once they were face to face they gave the start sign, which accompanied by Haise's indicia, who usually served as referee, began the duel.

"Hajime!" Indicated the bespectacled chuunin.

"You're going to bite the dust, insect boy." Taunted the other boy with a cocky smirk on his face, taunt that did not provoked the slightest irritation in the face of the young Aburame who merely waited for the first strike.

Meanwhile, in the lines, Kiba commented. "Oh,he didn't said that."

Naruto, who had his arms behinds his head nodded. "Yes pal, he did it."

Satoshi threw a punch that was easily dodged by Shino who in turn counterattacked with a kick to the side of his opponent. Satoshi quickly blocked and directed another two punches, one was again dodged and the other was blocked with Shino's other arm who remained calm and tried to analyze the patterns of attack of his opponent while dodging the barrage of fists.

Then, after a few seconds of dodging. Shino gave a well-directed punch to Satoshi's jaw, who was momentarily back by the impulse only to reject a brutal kick in the stomach that ended up sending him to the ground.

The civilian student looked up and met Shino's face, who still held his fighting posture, or in simpler words, was still ready to unload a blow or a kick.

"Shōsa, Shino Aburame!" Declared Haise before indicating to the two opponents that they make the sign of reconciliation.

"You know? If this was a duel where everything can be used, Shino would have completely destroyed that child." Naruto whispered to Kiba who rubbed his hands while he was waiting his turn and now he was nodding in complete agreement with the redhead's words.

Naruto was not wrong, as the next two fights that included boys belonging to shinobi clans against civilians were not very different.

Sasuke demolished in seconds the civilian boy that had by opponent and Haise had to interfere so that this one was controlled in the end besides that happened long that the boy of black hair did not deign to use the seal of reconciliation.

Kiba growled to see that he did not have the opportunity to adjust the accounts with the Uchiha and unfortunately for the poor guy who ended up being his opponent, ended up being a decent substitute to calm the wrath of Inuzuka.

"Naruto Uzumaki vs. Nakano Tsumiki!" Announced Haise. The red-haired boy closed his eyes and let out an audible sigh abefore making his way to the sand. With the arms still behind his neck, Naruto gave a lazy glance at his opponent.

A boy, apparently of civilian background with a marked jaw and a thick nose as unique traits and remarkable features stepped in the line. Naruto, who was more than aware of his heavy memory with things that were not objects of importance to him, didn't even recognize him.

"Put yourself in your positions and make the seal." Ordered Haise a meter to the left of both. "Naruto _-kun_ , please put yourself in your posture."

That last one was accompanied by that smile again.

"Tch, fine, fine," said the redhead. But before Naruto could even form the blissful sign he realized the gaze of few friends his opponent was giving him.

"Hey, excuse me, do I have something in my face or what?" He asked a little annoyed. He just wanted to kick some ass quick.

"Freak," replied the boy while letting a smile decorate his face, although in truth, that face could only be loved by his mother, especially with those three stubby teeth.

"You thought about your face for sure" Naruto replied instinctively as he closed his eyelids slightly and smiled. _'Oh boy, you just stepped on the tail of the fox.'_

Of the presents, only Yakumo showed a concerned expression. She had seen on the first hand the reactions that sometimes her friend's presence caused on the people, despite her best efforst, he had never told her the reason behind that, he only closed his eyes and smiled.

"Why did he called Naruto like that?" Asked Ino at her side. Both had already participated in the matches and where watching the remaining ones.

"I get that sometimes he can be annoying with his pranks , but I thought that everybody was already used to that" Continued the platinoum-haired heiress.

"To be fair, I do not know either, he never speaks the word about it. He just smiles and changes the conversation." Replied Yakumo as she stroked one of her tails. "Sometimes I wonder if he really knows or just lets himself go."

"Beats me" Answered Ino as she watched as the two finished making the sign and started the fight.

 _'Good Luck Naruto-kun'_ Thought Yakumo as she watched how it had begun the duel of her best friend.

 **xXx**

(Location: Academy Hallway/Ten Minutes Later.)

"Dude, are you sure you're okay?" Asked Kiba, he and Shino were walking along Naruto since the end of the Taijutsu portion of the exam. Idate Morino was following them with a luck of boredom on his face which was equally matched with the one of Shikamaru who was behind him with Chōji at his side. Only Sasuke was alone at the back busy brooding about something.

"I told you guys that 'Im okay," Replied Naruto with his arms behind his neck, "I just had a bit of an issue."

Kiba sweatdropped.

"Dude ... You broke the guy's wrist and his nose too," Said the feral-looking boy to his classmate.

"So what? I made mim a favor, call it Image Improvement if you like," Replied the redhead withouth a hint of concern on his voice. "He really was a prick, so I gave him a reason why he should'd kept his mouth shut. And don't think that you're a saint either Kiba, I'll be surprised if that boy doens't sports a broken rib."

Kiba looked like he wanted to say more than just shook his head and sighed. Sometimes it was hard to understand the whiskered redhead. Hell, it was the most of the time.

"What about you, Shino? Your fight was fairly brief but you took some time to analyze Satoshi." Naruto asked abruptly towards the young Aburame.

"We could hardly call them fights to what we saw and experienced out there." Shino replied as he adjusted his dark glasses. "Because you ask? It's because it was too logical that it would be shinobi procendents who would gain because of the extra performance and training they receive, but you could say that this was good for something."

"For what?" Kiba asked as she tried to keep Akamaru from falling out of her head.

"Identify which of us are not fit for physical combat in the future teams or to separate the promising ones from the useless."

Kiba and Shino continued their talk as Naruto continued to advance, but in fact his attention was centered on the memory of the past ten minutes.

(Flashback: Ten Minutes Ago.)

 _"Hajime!"_

 _Nakano growled as he ran toward Naruto with the firm signature of turning his fist into the redhead's face. But I only growl again when he dodges his blow._

 _Naruto was not so slow, he made a feint before throwing a kick to the side that managed to be blocked by Nakano who tried to hold it only to take a surprise when his opponent used that as a step to kick him with the other leg right in the chin._

 _Nakano growled in pain as he backed away, leaving his torso uncovered which was a gross mistake, especially when Naruto took a momentum and kicked his stomach down to the floor._

 _Naruto remained steady in his posture until after a few seconds, after which he turned his neck slightly and placed his arms behind his neck. "That is all?"_

 _He turned his back and walked to the starting line until something stopped him._

 _"Tsk, orphaned shit." Said Nakano while he was getting up._

 _Gasps could hear from the audience, even from Iruka who did not look at all happy and was about to point out to Haise, who impassive parmione with the kind smile off his face that would stop the fight._

 _But before they could do anything about it, Nakano ended up creating the drop that spilled the glass. Or rather the drop that fucked the glass._

 _"Why did not you stay dead like the whore of your mother?"_

 _Iruka was particularly annoyed by this and hastened to start Haise, who had strangely lost his friendly demeanor and was impassive in its place. But before anyone could do anything about it._

 _The sepulchral silence of a few seconds was his only warning before it fainted like a fist was planted in his stomach much stronger than the previous time._

 _But before he could do something about it, a well aimed kick to his jaw made him lose his balance and sent him to the ground. Nakano screamed in pain as the same leg fell on his right hand pressing hard on the knuckles that creaked under the pressure._

 _"GAAAH!" Yelled Nakano to feel like his hand was almost unused for the day. But that pain was only a breath in comparison to the one he felt as the tip of the redhead's foot was coming down to his crotch._

 _But it was not only that, because he ended up facing the smirking face of Naruto who this time kept his eyes open showing off the bright and piercing electric blue that he usually kept hidden of towards Nakano who was about to piss himself if not for the fact that the pain was stronger._

 _"Wow, you're not very talkative from here?" Asked Naruto with a voice completely devoid of his familiar tone, an emotionless one that sent chills to the spine of the present people._

 _"I have been enduring these comments for years, you are not the first or the last to tell me, but repeat a single bad word to my mother and this leg, will do the same as I did to your hand, but this time to your balls. "_

(Flashback End.)

For the next two hours the students went one by one into a small room in next to the classroom, where Iruka and Mizuki had them do the basic Academy Ninjutsu. Where if they were able to do all three then they would have official pass the exam and become a Genin and if they failed to do all three then they would fail and have to repeat the year. During the course of the two hours the students came in and out of the small room, some came out with headbands on their heads, while others came out with none with disappointed faces.

As the order to pass was alphabetic, Naruto, who shared a surname with one of the last letters along with Sasuke remained sitting in their place listening to the conversations and strangely notice Yakumo talking to Ino, who also had the same case as him and Sasuke .

During that time some of the most remarkable students. i.e., from Shinobi proceeding they had already succeeded in acquiring a Hitai-Ate. Among them: Shino, Chōji, Sakura, Hinata, Kiba, Yakumo, Idate Morino and Shikamaru.

Eventually Naruto's turn came up, after Sasuke came out of the room with a Konoha headband on his head, which caused his fan girls to scream and cry out that Sasuke was the greatest much to Kiba's displeasure who was muttering under his breath somethin akin to "Ungrateful bastards."

After Naruto's name was called out by Iruka, Naruto got out of his seat to go over to the room, as he did, some of the ones who had already passed wished him luck which he apreciated.

Soon enough Naruto entered the room, where he found Iruka and Mizuki sitting behind a small wooden table and facing him."Ok Naruto to pass this test you need to complete all three standard Academy Jutsu". Said Iruka.

"The three most basic E-ranked techniques. The Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique), the Kawarimi no Jutsu (Body-Replacement Technique) and the Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique.)" Added Mizuki.

"Once you have completed that, you will have passed and officially become a Konoha Ninja", finished Irula. Naruto just nodded in understanding before forming a pair of handseals and sying in clear voice.

"Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique)" A puff of smoke appeared and vanished revealing a perfect copy of Iruka standing on Naruto's place. Then, Naruto dropped the Transformation and then did a seal-less Kawarimi no Jutsu with a broomstick that was at the corner of the room which earned a few more points in Iruka's book who had sen in the past that the redhead had already masterised that Jutsu.

Then, Naruto breathed a littlr before doing a single hand-seal and muttered. "Ninpō: Bunshin no Jutsu (Ninja Art: Clone Technique.)"

Anda cloud of smoke the smoke cleared, there were ten Naruto's that could just be called proper clones. They where a bit more pale and at least two of them dind't sport the trademark whisker-like marks.

"Well, that's a surprise Naruto. There was no need to make so many clones." Iruka said surprised at the quantity of copies. _'But well, with his Chakra Reserves it was expected.'_

"Well, Iruka sensei. I trained really hard for this jutsu and somehow this is the least possible amount of clones I can make and it is still really hard." Naruto said rubbing his head with a sheepish expresion on his face. _'Please buy it, please buy it...'_

"Well, it doensn't matter. You passed Naruto, now you're officially a ninja of Konoha", spoke Iruka with a smile while he handed Naruto a Konoha headband, who took it gladly and tied it to his head and walked out the room with a smile noticing the slight flash of annoyance that he saw on Mizuki's face for a second.

 _'Hmm, I'm going to need to watch out for him, Mizuki-'sensei' looks more fishy than usual.'_ He thought.

 **xXx**

Once Class fully ended Iruka and Mizuki bid farewell to the Class, where the students all went out to their parents, who were waiting from them, to greet them and congratulate or comfort their children, whether they passed or failed.

Naruto took that as his clue so he could leave. After saying goodbye to Yakumo who apparently was to be accompanied to the Kurama Compound by his uncle, a middle-aged man quite unfriendly in the opinion of Naruto who did not have a very good opinion of the guy.

They had received a notice that two days had passed before those who had passed had to present themselves to be able to be assigned to a Jounin-sensei and a team where they would spend the rest of their careers or at least until they were promoted and took different paths or died, Whichever comes first.

All of the shinobi origin along with a good part of the civilians managed to pass the test, of the reprobates, a popular girl named Ami was the only outstanding and ended up crying in a corner, only Naruto seemed to notice that Mizuki was approaching, probably to comfort her or something.

Naruto walked down the street in the direction of the Hokage Tower. There was not much to do for today. Maybe going to take a plate (or several) of Ramen in Ichiraku's after visiting the old Hokage or maybe train a bit in one of the Fields.

He was walking for a few minutes when he discreetly made a one-handed seal. _' Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment)'_ He thought before letting his inner 'vision' change the surroundings.

Just as he had detected, there was someone following him closely, and the chakra signature, despite being weak was known to him.

Naruto let a smirk smile decorate his face again as he continued walking as if he was not so much of his silent companion as he went into an alley.

The redhead walked up to a meter away from the wall at the bottom where he stopped and placed his left hand in the pocket of his jacket while the right came to rest inside the garment until he entered the hidden pouch.

Without giving a warning, the hand suddenly pulled out a kunai and Naruto quickly spun around flipping it before clapping and saying in a clear tone.

"Fūton:Reppūshō (Wind Release: Gale Palm)!"

A gale erupted from Naruto's body and ended up propelling the kunai that ended up by nailing firmly into a silhouette hidden in the shadows. The silhouette began to fade as if it were paper.

"You can get out of where you are hiding. Your clone is already dead." Declared Naruto without looking back.

Two meters to his left, the air seemed to blink for a second revealing a silhouette of the same height that ended up showing itself completely when his Mesaigakure no Jutsu (Hiding with Camouflage Technique) was dissipated.

He was a preteen with a very pale complexion that contrasted with his dark hair and eyes. His features were fine and very well marked but what was truly disturbing was his empty expression. The only extra feature he had was a short black-and-gray jacket with red straps over his equally black T-shirt. The closest he had to a uniform in the place where they both served.

"I see that your aim has not turned dull, Uzumaki-senpai."

Naruto sighed as he picked up the kunai nailed to the wall and shook the ink on it before placing it inside his pouch. "I saw you in class today ... 'Sai' That was your name, isn't it? Or that is no longer your codename."

There was no visible reaction on Sai's empty face. "My name still remains Sai, Danzō-sama has not considered changing it for the moment."

 _'He's still the same drone, the Foundation truly ended up breaking him.'_ Thought Naruto. "So, the old one-eyed mummy, at least, decided to set you free in the Conventional Forces for a while, huh?. Any ideas why you where picked up?"

Sai looked thoughtful for a few seconds before answering. "Danzō-sama can not afford to shed more of his best soldiers, like Shin-senpai, Mai-senpai, or you. You three are seen as pieces far above the pawns."

"I see," Replied Naruto, "And you ended up being the poor bastard who extracted the shortest straw, isn't it?"

Sai blinking obviously not catching what caused or sigh from the redhead. That was one of the reasons why socializing in Root had never been a good idea. For a start, because it was composed of 95% by people like that, not people, but emotionless drones who obeyed without hesitation any order to cut a throat, all for the good of the mission and the village, even if it was your own throat. Naruto was more than aware for years that he was not so different, yes, he kept his emotions among other things but he also was a disposable resource of the Foundation.

"Anyway, any idea when I'll be able to get back into the hole? I doubt I'll stay in a single squadron of Conventional Forces for a long time." Naruto asked.

Sai did not respond immediately. "I was not told anything about it, Danzō-sama only gave orders that you stay low until you leave the Academy. Your role as a key player in the future of Konohagakure and Root is already assured since you completed the exam years ago. It is likely that given the attention you will most likely receive from Sarutobi-sama, you will not return completely to the Foundation."

Naruto snorted. "So basically, I'm out of Danzō's reach for the next few years apparently. Man, talk about being off the hook."

"Thats not all". Sai added even without blinking, Naruto resisted the urge to snap his fingers if possible. "From now on you have a new mission for the long term."

Naruto became alert on hearing that. Seldom had he been sent to one of these and with good reason. His absence in the village for example, but right now he had a feeling in his gut that he had something else to see.

"Naruto Uzumaki, Codename Foxface and Promoted Rook from the Foundation." From this moment you have the orders to place the modified Zekka Konzetsu no In (Cursed Tongue Erradication Seal) on your own and hide your equipment in the Chamber. Your Root operative status is canceled until further notice. " Finished Sai. "The same status applies to me for the moment. I am your partner in this new mission, please take care of me Uzumaki-san."

After he finished the last statement, he disappeared in a Sumi Shunshin no Jutsu (Ink Body Flicker Technique) leaving an annoyed redhead alone in the alley.

A tick mark appeared in Naruto's head as his fists clenched. He opened his mouth to shout some obscenities, but then he remembered where he was and ended up extracting three pieces of paper that where placed on the walls.

"Otokyū Fūin." He muttered. The three seals glowed signalling their activation.

"Ok, now...THAT FUCKING SON OF A B-!"

 **xXx**

After screaming for several minutes all sorts of insults possible against Danzō, the Foundation and the names of any operatives he knew. Naruto had left the alley a little more relieved. He passed the Ichiraku's Ramen Bar as well as the Hokage Tower, he did not want to pester anyone with his current temperament. In addition, he knew perfectly the right antidote.

Anger Management via destruction. The best therapy for him.

For that reason the redhead was in the moments outside Konohagakure in the forest of the First Hokage. His attire remained the same with the exception of his new Hitai-Ate in blue color.

After using his Inner Eye and checking that there was no one around. Naruto set out to begin his little therapy for stress.

"Well, let's see how well I can do this." Commented Naruto before making a pair of hand seals. "Fūton: Sinkūha (Wind Release: Vacuum Wave.)." He murmured before taking a long breath and exhaling as he spinned.

From his mouth emerged a solitary blade of air that turned to the ism time covering several meters around him. The sharp air wave left several cuts on some of the nearest logs. Naruto stopped and inspected the damage that the Jutsu had caused. "No, the blade must have a lot more edge, I'll have to practice it several more times. Vacuum techniques were never my forte."

Naruto continued practicing this technique for a few minutes and the trees around him paid the price to finish with numerous cuts in their barks. However, the last time the redhead applied too much chakra in the B-ranked technique causing the blade to end by cutting a trunk completely and knocking down the small tree.

"Well, at least I know this can cut a lot better than before." Naruto commented as he started another chain of hand seals.

"Fūton: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)" He exclaimed generating a concentrated wave of wind that blew flying the remains of the trunk knocked down a few meters back.

Naruto whistled when seeing the results. "Those are four Wind Jutsu almost dominated, but I've always been better at using Water."He commented before making a single seal. _' Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Release: Wild Water Wave)'_ thought Naruto before emitting throught his mouth a concentrated torrent that destroyed the remains of the log, smashing it by the pressure.

Then suddenly he turned and made a couple more seals. "Suiton: Sandan no Jutsu (Water Release: Scattering Bullets Technique)" he said before firing a barrage of concentrated water spheres around him that ended with the space completely wet, much more than when he had released the torrent seconds earlier.

"Suiton: Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Clone Technique.)"

From the puddles of water began to rise five figures that ended up taking the identical appearance of Naruto and launched against him, each one wielding a kunai.

Naruto smiled as he easily evaded the first stab and kicked without looking back at the first copy that dissolved in water behind him. Blocking with a kunai own the next thrust and with the other hand directed a blow towards the jaw sending the second into the air before dissolving also. The remaining three copies were separated and approached from three different angles arranged to trap the original in the middle. Narutno held his sneeze as he quickly extracted his sword from the inside of his jacket and twirled efficiently by cutting two of the copies that instantly dissolved. The third one retired giving a somersault in the air and also drew the sword.

 _'Kenjutsu: Nagare (Sword Technique: Current) '_ Thought the original as a bluish cloak covered Guren's blade and rushed to meet his last (Invented) opponent.

The other noticed the presence of chakra in his opponent's sword and tried to hit an irregular lunge first that was diverted perfectly by Naruto who in turn separated the blade of his opponent before handing a knife that the copy elusive narrowly.

"For only having one tenth of my strength, you're not half-bad." Naruto commented before entering the pose of Ansatsu no Jutsu (Assassination Technique.)

Without wasting time, the redhead distributed a wave of slashes to his opponent that barely managed to divert the first and ended succumbing to the last seven before dissolving in water like everyone else.

Naruto turned off the technique and sighed. "Man, I wish I knew a Bunshinjutsu (Clone Technique) much more powerful or durable. These water clones are effective and versatile, but rather weak." He commented before sealing away Guren inside his jacket. " I should learn more elemental ninjutsu, especially outside my two affinities one day. In theory my Chakra Control should be more than enough to allow me to practice that. "

Naruto activated his Inner Eye in order to detect if there was someone around and took a surprise when he actually detected a weak chakra signature not far from his position. In fact that someone was heading right for him, not knowing who it was Naruto decided to hide and see who it was. After a minute or so Naruto saw that the person he sensed was the Ami girl that had failed the exam earlier. Normally, Naruto would normallu not give a damn about the emotional situation of someone whom he did not care in the slightlest but decided to let it go through that occasion. What was the difference of the previous times? The fact that for some strange reason Ami was carrying a scroll on her back. A quite big and familiar scroll.

The fucking Fūin no Sho (Scroll of Seals).

Naruto quickly recognized it as the forbidden scroll of Konoha that was guarded by the Hokage. The scroll also contained other forbidden Ninjutsu's that were created by the other Hokages over the years. It was a list of extremely powerful or terribly dangerous Jutsu's. In much simpler terms, the tool that for no reason should be available to anyone, much less an academic student who had just failed the graduation test and would probably be forced to repeat the course.

Naruto knew about the scroll in their two identities. As Naruto Uzumaki, a recent graduate and a non-official Genin had seen her several times when visiting the office of the Hokage who had spoken to him again and again about the object. While as Foxface, he had been aware that Danzō had borrowed [Stoled] some other technique and scroll note when Sarutobi had not been watching.

But that still did not explain the reason Ami, of all possible people, had it in her hands. He did not know the girl personally and the only thing he knew about her was that she was somewhat popular in class and that she used to had a sort of conflict with Sakura Haruno in the past or something, he had never been very prone to gossip anyway.

He knew that the purple-haired girl hardly had the appearance of a traitor or an enemy spy, and if it was truly the last thing, Naruto knew that **1)** She was too good as a spy to act like that under his nose for four years or **2)** He was quite incompetent and that the reason he was now outside the Foundation was due to that.

For some reason (Naruto preferred to call it Intuition), the second option was quite improbable. (And for his own sake, Naruto preferred to be right, he liked being able to keep his own memories. Thank you, very much)

 _'Well, here goes nothing'_ He thought before starting to follow the girl while turning almost invisible due to the seal-less  Mesaigakure no Jutsu (Hiding with Camouflage Technique) he had activated.

 **xXx**

Ami had been forced to helplesly look when Iruka Umino had failed her on the final exam earning the humiliation of not having passed unlike some and some of her friends. Unaccustomed to feel that way, she had easily become depressed at the end of the academy's time and contemplating that she would have to return the next year to try again and have to share class with younger people than she was humiliating.

But it had been Mizuki-sensei who had comforted her and even better. He had revealed a secret examination that not even the most brilliant people in the class like that bitch with Sakura's huge forehead knew.

All she had to do was get a stupid volute of some size from the Hokage's office, bring it to the outback forest, and learn a technique before Mizuki showed up with his new, glittering Hitai-Ate.

It was excruciatingly easy to find out where the scroll was. Hell, everyone knew that it was in the Hokage's Office so there was no real secrecy about their presence. Hell, even grabbing the scroll and leaving the tower was simple.

Now she just had to reach a clearing where she could try to learn a technique. If she managed to to learn it completely before the arrival of Mizuki, she would get some extra credits and she knew that she would need it.

She had opened the scroll and with some effort tried to decipher the fine writing that was written on the pages. Many of the names of the techniques were rare, Ami had never heard any of them, although she knew that she was not well versed in those fields, those things were more reserved for the brainiacs like Sakura.

"-e Bunshin no Jutsu (Multiple Shadow Clone Technique), Gogyō Fūin (Five Elements Seal) , Gogyō Kaiin (Five Elements Unseal)..."

But something she did not expect was that a voice would sound behind her so suddenly.

"What are you doing?"

"KYAAH!"Shouted Ami before jumping up and falling to the ground. She turned and found the bright blue eyes of Naruto watching her with curiosity. The redhead was leaning against the trunk of a tree as if it were a common place and a common scene. As if a clearing in the forest in the afternoon containing a girl with a huge scroll was normal but who was she to judge?

"What the hell are **YOU** doing here?" Ami answered defensively, she did not usually leave much her house, but she also hardly thought that it was fairly common that minors were walking outside the village.

"Oh, you know." Answered the redhead in his calm, youthful voice." I walked around quietly after a very stressed day when my small eyes seemed to see someone carrying a huge scroll. Like every good person [Whom I trying to deceive?] I went to check if sheneeded help." Answered Naruto before sporting his signature fox-like grin that for obvious reasons unnerved more the purple-haired girl.

Ami blinked owlishly at that as her brain processed what it had received. ' _Was he following me? What if he is a stalker and plans to take the scroll for himself? But what can I do about it? ... '_

"I don't believe you." She stated trying to maintain a secure posture while inside she was a sea of nerves. While Ami, like 90% of her class did not have much knowledge about the red-headed enigma, she had seen his performance on the Taijutsu practice. The image of this Nakano on the floor howling with pain and that of the smiling redhead with that bloodthirsty expression was not a very pleasant memory.

The smile disappeared from Naruto's face as Naruto approached with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. Ami gulped nervously as she looked around, imagining that at any second the red-haired boy would draw a gigantic sword with which he would cut her in half or something. (It was probably better that she did not know that Naruto actually had a sword with him.)

"Who do you work for? Who sent you? What is your purpose?" Naruto asked while inspecting her from various angles with a scrutinizing expression on his face. If the situation were not so confusing, Ami would probably have laughed.

"W-what are y-you talking about? I do not work for anyone! I only have this scroll because I am undergoing a secret examination to be able to graduate from the Academy ... " " Exclaimed Ami still unnerved.

Naruto stopped dead on his inspection and did a single hand seal while muttering something that sounded like "Kagura Shingan". Then, he stared at her without blinking.

"Repeat that again." He asked dead serious. Ami did so as Naruto raised an eyebrow at it.

 _'What the fuck? She is telling the truth according to her chakra pulse. Or at least what she believes to be true. '_ Thought the redhead. _'Something is not right ... It's the Forbidden Scroll for a reason ...'_

"And who in the blue hell told you about this test?" Naruto asked with some doubts about it. It was better to be sure anyway.

Ami did not see the hurt of telling her. "It was Mizuki-sensei, he approached me when classes were over."

Those eleven words and the pulse that he could see in her system through the Inner Eye were enough for Naruto to believe her and also for the gears to began to roll in his head. Now he saw everything. That's why Mizuki had been too attentive to the results, especially with those who had failed the graduation test. That explained why he had used someone else as a scapegoat. Everything to get the Scroll but that meant ...

Naruto detected hundreds of meters away a slightly larger chakra signature moving towards them. A signature that he knew quite well, having cleared an exact same chakra signature in the form of a genjutsu that morning.

 _'Ok Naruto, calm down a little'_ Thought the redhead while taking a breath. _'You still have several options. 1) Kill Mizuki, erase Ami's memory with a seal and pretend that I was never here. '_ For some reason he felt a little bad at the thought of that choice, damn morality. _'Okay, no, not that. 2) Run with the scroll and- '_

"Hey, are you okay?" Ami asked as she waved her hand in front of the face of the redhead who had stared into infinity.

"Ah what?" Naruto came out of his mental space. "Okay Ami, I'm not sure how to tell you this but, to begin with, there is no such secret exam."

To say that Ami was a little startled would have been tantamount to saying that Mount Hokage was a little high. For the jaw of the girl with purple hair was hanging a little.

"In addition, in case it existed, I doubt very much that this would consist of stealing an object from the office of the Hokage, especially when this is a huge scroll containing nothing important, with the exception of the MOST DANGEROUS TECHNIQUES OF THE WHOLE VILLAGE! "

"B-but Mizuki-sensei said .."

"He only used you with for that to keep the scroll for himself, what for? Why do not you ask it to him since he will surely come here?" _'Faster than you actually think.'_ He added the latter mentally.

"Look, what we should do is go back to the village and talk to the Hokage, because Mizuki is probably a traitor and-"

"WATCH OUT!"

Naruto detected it long before the warning came out of Ami's mouth, at any moment with the exception of when he had activated his Kagura Shingan he had stopped releasing with one hand his pouch where Guren was sealed. He managed to deflect with the edge of the sword the four shuriken that otherwise would have ended nailed to his back.

And there, right at the entrance of the clearing, with a Fūma Shuriken tied behind him and the bandana with the symbol of the Leaf on the silver hair and a manic expression on his face, there was Mizuki.

"My, my, Naruto-kun. Did your parents vever told you that it's wrong to badmouth other people behind their backs?" He said in a voice quite different from the one he used at the Academy, apparently his true one.

Naruto let a growl escape his lips instead an snort. _'So he's a Fox-hater after all, why am I not surprised?'_ He thought before resisting he urged to simply behead the silver-haired chuuniin right there. "Mizuki- _'sensei'_ ," Sneered Naruto. "I cannot say that it is a pleasure to see you here because I would be lying. What is the traitor's career like? " _'Cath the hook, catch the hook.'_

Mizuki also responded with a sneer. "You and that mouth brat. For years I have dreamed of this moment in which I can close it without fear of reprisals." Because of the way he was referring to closing his mouth, the reddish area of the redhead's mind imagined his mouth being sewn and shuddered.

"But alas, it seems that Fate now smiles at me, since I've the Scroll of Seals within my reach and also another major prize." Mizuki continued without realizing that one of the hands of Naruto was in one of the pockets looking for something.

 _'Make time, but how?'_

"So it's true, your goal is the Forbbiden Scroll?" Naruto asked as he cast a quick glance at Ami who was behind him. "Pick up the Scroll". Muttered the redhead to what she nodded before doing what he had asked.

"Well, how is it that an adorable newly-graduated like you knows about the most precious object of the Hidden Village Among the Leaves?" Mizuki asked, clearly amused. "I never pegged you like a bookworm."

Naruto deadpanned at him. "I used to hang out with the Hokage, in fact, I still kept doing it. Did you really believe that the famous Professor would never tell me about it? Basically he filled the 50% of that thing. "

Neither of them seemed to notice the whistle of admiration that Ami let slip.

"But how interesting, that way it will not serve you against me. I'm an Elite Chūnin and you just graduated. I have to admit it kid, you're more skilled than I thought you were, but you're still no match for me and you cannot beat me. Why don't you give yourself a favor and give up? If come with me quietly with the Scroll you would not get hurt"

Naruto shook his head. "Thank you, but no thanks. You give me a bad feeling and disgust, besides that is not a guarantee, especially when you tried to use me as a practice target a few minutes ago."

Mizuki snarled apparently quite satisfied with Naruto's decision, but then he noticed the sword he was holding and if possible, his smile widened even more.

"But what a nice toy you have, is it actually a real one? does your parents let you play with that? do you even know how to use something like that?" He mocked while wielding a kunai.

Naruto growled internally until he came up with an idea. "What is Mizuki-teme? Are you jealous because this sword is bigger than 'yours'? Oh, wait, is it even a sword "Because I say that it is probably not more longer than a kunai...That's it, it surely s a senbon. "

Several tick marks appeared on Mizuki's head as he grasped the double meaning of the redhead's words. "What the fuck you know, you little fucking bastard ?!"

"See? That's what I said. Now I know the reason of your bad character. Surely your girlfriend left you for that, is not it?. And because you were cut off, you decided to pull and Orochimaru. Man and I used to think that the Uchiha were way more dramatic. " Continued Naruto enjoying very deep down the fact that he could say that. _'He is almost there..'_

"You little brat ..." Mizuki began as he lifted the kunai menacingly. But to his bad luck, Naruto had already indetermined with the touch what he needed.

"Hey, Bastard, catch this!" He said before throwing a small sphere of wrapped cloth that went to the face of the silver hair chūnin. "Get this!"

As soon as it made contact with Mizuki, a cloud of smoke began to emerge from the marble and cover the clearing. Mizuki waved his arms in vain until he disappeared into the haze. Naruto quickly took Ami's arm with his free hand. "Come on, it will not be long before he gets out of there." He said before he practically dragged her towards the other part of the clearing.

They both ran for a few yards before stepping into some shrubs to catch their breath.

"Uff, I do not usually run m-much ..." Commented Ami as she panted. Tears of sweat ran over his forehead, while at his side, Naruto looked almost normal, with the sole exception that he was not as calm as usual.

"Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment)" He said while holding the hand seal. He located Mizuki about two hundred meters to the north and detect the nearest road to Konoha about three hundred to the west. But Mizuki was advancing a little faster and it was likely that if the two moved, he could detect them.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Ami asked, who seemed to have recovered. Naruto kept the technique while he answered. "Detecting the presence of Mizuki-teme, it is coming and quite fast. We could stay here and wait for it to pass, but that would be taking a big risk."

"How can you know?" Asked the girl with purple hair curiously.

Naruto shrugged. "I've been a Sensor-Type since birth." It was not a complete answer but Ami didn't need to know.

"What can we do then?"

Naruto smiled again. That was the kind of smile he made when he had an idea and wanted the people around him to know it, a completely useless thing in the Foundation taking into account that everyone wore masks there.

"The road to the village is straight ahead." I point the redhead to a point. "If you run fast enough you can get there before a patrol finds you and you can tell someone about the situation, I recommend Iruka-sensei, he could take you with the Hokage and allow you to explain everything. To [Eradicate] seek Mizuki. "

Ami nodded understanding. "But what about you? Are you going to stay here with the scroll?"

Naruto patted the leather case on the scroll as he nodded. "Of course, I've been using these things since I learned to walk, I can move just as well carrying this."

"But Mizuki-sensei will find you and ..." Tried to protest the purple-haired girl .She had gained enough appreciation for the redhead for having saved her from a potential psychopath who had deceived her and did not like the fact that he had to stay in the forest avoiding the same psychopath.

Naruto deapanned at her. "Ami ..." It was strange to say her name, but he continued anyway. "I have been escaping from groups of ANBU and even Jounin for more than five years when I'd finished my pranks. I'm more than capable to out _fox_ this guy, Elite Chūnin or not."

"Yes but .."

"Nothing, go right now, I'll distract him so you can run." Cut her off Naruto while tucking the leather strap of the scroll on his shoulder. In fact, from a distance it could be heard the sound of weeds being trampled and moved by someone, in this case a famelic chūnin.

Both left the bush and Ami ran towards the direction indicated by the redhead, but before leaving he turned. And before Naruto could tell her to leave, Ami said something else.

"Thanks Naruto, you're a good person." And she ended up disappearing from his sight, but not from his inner eye that kept detecting her signature chakra until it came out of his reach.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Naruto commented to himself before detecting Mizuki's signature at about twenty meters. The chūnin was not slow to make its appearance.

He had the same kunai in his hand as the same expression on his face. Naruto was tempted to finish it himself but he was too close and he preferred not to leave many loose ends.

"Ha! I found you Mizuki-teme!" Naruto pointed out as he laughed.

Mizuki's eyes twitched as he clenched his teeth as well as his fists. " **No** you little idiot. **I** found you!"

Naruto reacted quickly and ran, taking the scroll with him safely on his back. "Then catch me if you can, you idiot!"

And he ran throught the forest. With Mizuki hot on his heels.

* * *

(Location: Naruto's Mindscape/Current Time.)

Naruto and his resident had finished looking at the memory completely and both faces were a little ... Confused.

"..."

 **"..."**

"Did I really see myself as a hero to the rescue or is my body finally failing me?"

 **"I do not have a clue, I have not the slightest idea, but it seems like you've spent some time here, remember that you can only stay for 24 hours while only 24 seconds pass in real time."** Answered the Kyūbi.

Naruto blinked. "There are times when I really lose track of time when I'm here."He commented while he standed up "Well, it's time to get back."

A beam of light began wrapping it as it came out of the ten-pointed star and ended up consuming it completely leaving the ornate cage only with the huge chakra entity that waved its tails.

 **"I have a feeling that things are going to get _very_ interesting from now on."** The Kyūbi commented.

 **xXx**

"Haven't you ever wondered why were you hated?" Mizuki questioned, making the redhead's eyes widen. "Why you were ignored? Why people treated you like you were worthless! Like less then dirt!"

"Mizuki stop it now!" Iruka shouted to no avail.

"I'll tell you why Naruto," Mizuki sneered,"They've been _lying_ to you your whole life, the Sandaime, your guards, even Iruka here, ever since the degree of seven years ago," Mizuki looked at Naruto with an insane grin that threatened to broke his face.

"Twelve years ago, when the demon we call the Kyūbi no Yōko attacked the village and massacred thousands of men in its fury, the Yondaime Hokage fought the beast itself, but all their efforts were futile, The Fox was a force of nature itself. " Mizuki continued with his story. "But then, out of a ray of despair, sprang the hope that with the help of a lethal technique, the Yellow Lightning of the Leaf managed to destroy the beast completely by paying with his life.I am sure that is the story that you have been told At the Academy, is not it? "

Naruto nodded even though he did not see why he should, he supposed it was a way to continue with the game.

"But that was only what they made us believe!" Mizuki revealed with an exaggerated gesture with his hands.

"Mizuki ... Stop ..." Growled Iruka.

"For five years, we swallowed that story, which our dear and honored Sandaime told us that fateful night." But all that changed seven days ago, when it was revealed through the mouth of the same person who opened my eyes to what really happened.

Once those words left Mizuki's mouth Iruka's eyes widened in surprise and horror. "Mizuki, tell me you have not fallen so low ... Tell me you did not let yourself be fooled by that ..."

But the treacherous Chūnin did not care. He preferred to focus on the redheaded boy almost in front of him.

"When the truth was revealed, people burst into panic and anger, but there were other imbeciles who fell into the trap and prevented them from completing the work of the Fourth. The Sandaime proclaimed a law that still who talked about the truth or revealed it to other people, their voices would be silenced directly by the ANBU of the Hokage. "

"Do you know the truth?" Asked Mizuki rhetorically. "Twelve years ago in that fatidic night, the Fourth did not destroy the Nine Tails. A Tailed Beast is a being composed of pure chakra, they cannot die nor be destroyed, but they can be contained. The Fourth paid the price of his sould to seal the raging beast within the body of a newborn of that day. A boy who remained in the shadows of ignorance for his whole life while the village was equal, but only for five the law no one would ever dare to to effect any movement against the reincarnation of the beast, but that law never said anything about simply not assessing his existence. "

"Now, Naruto, can you finally see it?As your reality crumbles and the worst-kept secret falls completely, now do you understand?" Asked Mizuki while he laughed in such a way that he ran the risk of drowning. [Not that that would culminate in a great loss.]

Iruka tried to throw herself at Mizuki and try to keep her from saying the following words but it was too slow. For the second time in his life.

"Naruto, you're that child. You're the Nine-Tails!"

The silence in the clearing ended up being buried. Naruto remained in the same position where he had been since the beginning of the scene. He bent his head slightly until some of his crimson bangs fell on his forehead and covered his eyes from the sight of anyone in front of him. His hands ended up bending to the cuffs and tightening into fists.

"Naruto ..." said Iruka worried about the reaction.

But far from the two chūnin sight, within the mind of the redhead, the Kyūbi sketched a huge smile from ear to ear.

 **"Well, it seems the cat is out of the bag, or should I say the _fox_?"**

* * *

 **A/N:** **Cliffhanger.**

 **I would be surprised if no one was pissed with the fact that I'm always promising to deliver a chapter intwo weeks and then I ended up doing it on three, but hey, here it is.**

 **Originally this was to be a kind of recount of what happened between the prologue and chapter 1, but I endep up deciding to not do it at the last moment because it was very tedious and not very necessary. There will be a few flashback in the future, yes, but for the moment I prefer to focus even more on the story. I don't want to commit the same mistakes like in the previous version.**

 **There's something I'd like to ask. While the future of this story is already planned, I am currently undecided on which of the two routes that I have raised should follow.**

 **The first option is that Naruto finishes in the original Team 7, except that this would be the only preserved canon element with the exception of one or two argumental arcs. (Although it should be considered that this team includes the Kunoichi and Rookie of the Year with the Dead-last of the Class and Naruto does not have that position unlike the Canon one.)**

 **And the second is that Naruto ends up in an original team with other teammates. The Jounin-sensei has also been planned, although I will leave a single is obvious, but why not?**

 **Dango.**

 **Finally, the Poll will be open in my profile until the 8th of April and a few days later the chapter number three will be ready. It'll pretty much** **consist of the reaction of our redhead protagonist of the the 'revelation'. [And Mizuki's last stance too]. Also the talk with Ol´Hiruzen, the Kage Bunshin (It's not Naruto if that Jutsu doens't appears.), the Team Selections and some small surprises.**

 **See you all until the next uptade.**

 **-Ezequiel Kirishiki- (26/03/17)**

 **Next Time:** **Selection.**


	5. Natural Selection

**A/N: Well, it has finally begun. And to think that this used to be just a pile of incoherent notes eight months ago. Let's see if I can finish this.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own** **Naruto or anything related with both the Anime and Manga, all those are the property of his author (Masashi Kishimoto) and I'm only playing with the sandbox that he created.**

* * *

 **Whirlpool's Heir.**

 **Arc One: "The Foxface (Root) Genin."**

 **Chapter Three: Selection.**

* * *

 **Key:**

"Voice"

 _'Thinking'_

"Summoning/Jutsu!"

 **"Summon/Bijū talking"**

 ** _'Summon/Bijū_ _thinking'_**

* * *

(Location: Konohagakure Outskirts.)

"You're the Kyūbi!"

Iruka was mortified when he heard that. Slowly, he turned his face towards the red-haired boy with the scroll and his name escaped his lips.

"Naruto..."

The redhead [Now revealed] Jinchūriki didn't showed any sign of aknowledgement and slightly bent his head letting some of his crimson-blood bangs cover the metal plate of the Forehead Protector until they managed to block his eyes. His hands began to flinch until they turned into clenched fists and a low sound managed to escape his throat throught his closed mouth.

"Hmm, so the little demon is going to cry? Pathetic." Sneered Mizuki still grining before he took the Fūma Shuriken off his back and was prepared to throw it until he heard what was really the sound.

It began with a low, barely audible dry chuckle, which began to get stronger until it turned into a sonorous laughter. Naruto rose his head once again showing his fair-skinned face while still laughing. His eyes where wide open and gone was the feral gleam, replaced instead with pure amusement. There wasn't any doubt now, Naruto Uzumaki was laughing his ass off.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Howled the redhead before starting to roll in the ground while pumping his fists on it. "Gah, ha,ha, ha, ha! Oh Kami, I can't stop laughing. Ah, I can't breathe. Oh my god that's hilarious. Gah, ha, ha, ha!"

 _'Oh great, he has lost it.'_ Thought Iruka with a sweatdrop while looking at the scene. The Academy Instructor didn't knew if he should feel relieved or worried while Mizuki didn't feel like the former options. He was actually quite confused, and angry.

"What's so damm funny, brat?" Demanded the silver-haired chūnin quite upset because his 'brilliant' move had apparently fackfired. _'He should be paralyzed in denial. Is he thinking that it's just a gigantic prank?'_ He thought with narrowed eyes while glaring at the still rolling gray-clad form howling with laughter. _'No, he is not that stupid to believe that everything I said it's just a coincidence..Unless.'_ Mizuki felt his eyes widen a bit when he considered the last option.

As if he were reading his thoughts, Naruto stopped both his roll and his laught. He standed up while brushing off the dirt on his clothes with one hand while putting the other on his pocket. Then, Naruto adopted his Jigoku Kitsune no Shisen (Gaze of the Infernal Fox), Iruka flinched uncomfrotable despite not being the one who was receiving the end of that gaze. That look was unnerving, and acording to the Sandaime, with enough practice and a good dose of Killing Intent, it could be capable of even send Orochimaru crying for his mommy.

Naruto extracted a sheet of paper from his pouch. It was a sealing tag with the kanji for "Enclose" engraved in the center.

"Tell me, Mizuki-senseri, can you guess what is this?" He asked at said silver-haired traitor.

Mizuki, who had recovered from the initial shock was tempted to send to hell the brat but decided to humour him a little. One mist always respect the last wishes of the dead after all.

"A sealing tag brat, what does it contains? Perhaps some water ballons?"He sneered after some seconds while still holding the four-bladed weapon thightly.

Naruto said nothing, instead he just smiled again while extracting a kunai with his other hand. He rose it a little in order to Mizuki to see it clearly and almost gently approached it to the seal engraved on the tag. Almost instantly, the seal glowed and with a puff of smoke, the kunai was absorved into it.

Iruka was speechless now. _'That was a non-verbal and seal-less Funyū no Jutsu (Enclosing Technique), Naruto just how much do you really know?'_

Not as impressed as the scarred-chūnin, Mizuki sneered again [That's probably on of his hoobies]. "What was that supposed to mean? You sealed a kunai into a sealing tag, big deal!" He exclaimed with his loathing gaze directed towards the redhead this time with a good dose of Killing Intent. But to his surprise, the soon-to-be-teen merely stood there.

 _'I've receive worst than this from a sixty-nine one-eyed mummy since I was five.'_

"Then Mizuki- _sensei_ "Naruto remarked the last word with more poison than usual. "Tell me what is this?" He asked again sloly rising the paper tag with the kunai sealed inside.

"Are you deaf or stupid?" Growled Mizuki. "I told you some seconds ago, that's just a paper with a kunai sealed inside of it and..." The silver-haired chuunin atopped dead his rant when he realized where did the redhead was going.

"Ara"." Taunted Naruto. "And does that meas that the paper is now the kunai inside of it?"

Iruka, who had been lost in the 'conversation' around the part of the sealed kunai also felt his eyes widen. _'Don't tell me that Naruto has always...'_

Mizuki scoffed. "Of course not! The paper tag is just containing the blade, what kind of idiot brainless moron would thought that...?" He stopped once again when he saw how Naruto was pointing to himself or more particularly, to his stomach and the to the sealing tag. His expression was pure smugness now, which was enough for Mizuki to step back while wielding menacely the Windmill Shuriken.

"No! That's impossible!" He shrieked. "There is no single way that you would already...!"

"Yes way!" Grinned Naruto as if he was answering an quiz. He was particularly amused by the traitor's reaction. Then, his posture chaged and the smile was replaced by a serious frown. "I've been studying about seals since I was old enought to walk. If you thought that I would never notice the big-ass seal engraved on my gut the you're more of a brainless moron than I thought." Finished Naruto with a deadpan.

Mizuki gritted his teeth on anger. This wasn't supposed to happen. "Fine, say what you want but still. How the fuck are _you_ so calm? Aren't you supposed to be cursing the Yondaime's name for putting that burden on you?!" Spatted the traitor.

Naruto stared a t him with a blank expression written on his face before shrugging. "Meh, that would be so boring." He finally said.

Both Mizuki and Iruka's jaws where now hitting the floor after hearing that.

 _'Why the hell I never have a camera?'_

 **"You have me."**

 _'Shut up!'_

 _'He is not resentful? How? He should be sending the entire village to hell in these momments.'_ Thought Mizuki more confused than angered. The goddamned brat was a fucking riddle. Iruka's thoughts where way more different. _'Where all this time Sandaime-sama's fears misplaced? Is he truly okay with those terms? Naruto, just who really are you?'_

"That's impossible!" Spatted Mizuki. "Why aren't you furious? Didn't all the village [Naruto snorted.] treated you like you were worthless for that? Didn't even your own precious benefactor lied to your face about why you where receiving the short end of the stick?!"

"So?" Questioned Naruto. "The old man did never told me, that's true, but he promised years ago that he would tell me about the seal. He was the first person to show me kindness [Because I seriously doubt that being beated around with a wooden cane is not that]. So that's why I don't have the right to be angry about it." Replied the redhead shooking his head. "I admit that I never knew about the decree [Lie] but what of it?" He finished while shaking his hands and dropping the sealed kunai [Not a great lost.]

"Naruto..Are you truly not angered about that?" Questioned Iruka a bit [What a joke] gobsmacked by that fact. In his mind, the redhead had alreday eneterd in denial or cried among other things. Naruto turned back to him. "Oh, hello again Iruka-sensei! I kinda forgto that you where there for a while, hehe." He said while rubbing his neck sheepishly ignoring the tick marks that appeared on Iruka's forehead.

"But let me get a thing clear. The old man never told me, about 90% of the population hates my guts [Literally] for containing the Nine-Tailed Furball of Doom. [He ignored once again an snort from said furball] and apparently I'm supposed to be an angsty brooder soon-to-be-teen." Finished Naruto with a mock hurt expression. "Thanks, but no thanks" _'Someone else has already taken that spot.'_ He mentally added.

 **xXx**

(Location: Uchiha Clan Compound.)

Far from there, in the Uchiha Clan former compund. A certain raven-haired boy sneezed right on the middle of a shurikenjutsu practice, which casued him to miss the target. He pumped his fist on the air before doing a small sequence of hand sealsbefore saying:

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique)!"

He took a large breath and exhaled on the form of a medium-sized scorching orb that burned the target practice log. Sasuke grunted.

"Hnn, I'm going to need another one if I want to defeat _him._ "

A growl was heard from his stomach.

"But first, I will eat. Those tomatoes are not going to eat themselves."

 **xXx**

(Back with Naruto and Mizuki.)

"Whatever, I'm still going to get that scroll!" Exclaimed Mizuki [For the third time]. "And you're on the way, so I think that I'm going to dispose both of you." He said before throwing the windmill shuriken towards Naruto. Iruka, seeing that the redhead hadn't moved, tried to block the path of the shuriken with his body by jumping between the target...

Naruto just rolled his eyes. _'He really is a moron and his aim keeps sucking.'_ He thought before doing some hand seals.

 **"Kit, are you going to use...?"** Naruto didn't bothered to reply, being busy finishing the sequence which was soon done. The redhead muttered two [Three] words.

"Kongō Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains)"

Iruka closed his eyes waiting for one of the four Windmill shuriken blades to pierce his back (Or his vest) when he only heard a mteal clash bahind him. He opened his eyes only to fins something glowing. It was a chain.

A quite big and large chain, that emerged from Naruto's back and was floating on the air. They where four on total. Fur green-golden chains witha greenish-like glow surrounding them. The slabons had small spikes that covered them until the tip, which endep up in a kunai-like blade tip. The Windmill Shuriken was lying on the ground with a large crack where the chain had lunged it.

Naruto did a hand gesture and the chains retracted itselves and surrounded him, like trained serpents protecting their master.

Now was Mizuki's to look completely gobsmacked at the sight of the golden chains that looked menacely enough to compete against every type of kunai.

"W-what is t-this, w-what are they?" He asked while extracting a kunai from his pouch looking actually a bit frightened.

"Didn't you heard?" Taunted Naruto while tilding his head a little. "These are my Kongō Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains). You may consider them [Some of] my Trump Cards." The red-haired bot did another hand gesture and one of the chains effortlesly stabbed the ground beneath it. "Jiji once told me that my mum was particularly well-known for for her use of this chains. She even managed to restrain the furball for a few momments with them."

 **"That never happened."**

 _'Keep telling yourself that Bunnyears, maybe you would believe it.'_ Taunted back the jinchūriki ignoring the snort. But then, he looked at Mizuki firmly without his well-known glare.

"You tried to hurt Iruka-sensei and myself. Well, that means that you're not allowed to complain if I try to hurt you back?"

One of the chains quickly shot itself towards Mizuki; whose battle reflexes where barely enough to dodgge and block an incoming strike with a kunai which now sported a brand new crack on the blade.

 _'Such speed. This is bad'_ Thought the silver-haired traitor while dodging another chain. _'He is more dangerous than I thought. And with Iruka possibly backing him I stand no chance.'_ Mizuki rolled over the groundbefore throwing some kunai towards the redhead who merely stood there using his chains to block the incoming projectiles.

Naruto and Mizuki played the one-sided game "Dodge the Chain-Blade" for over four minutes in which the redhead was busy sending hims chains to pierce Mizuki from the distance. The silver-haired young man tried to dodge or block most of them. Keyword: Tried.

His chūnin vest was now sporting several torns all over whith some small injuries beneath the cloth showing off the fact that the kunai-like blades that served as the tips of the chains weren't just for show. Mizuki was prepared to block the incoming strike this time, but much for his surprise, the strike didn't come.

Instead, Naruto was just retracting his chains with a single hand gesture. Noticing his clueless face, Naruto _smiled_. "Nah, the chains are a bit overkill. I've a better idea right now." He said before extracting Guren from his jacket. Mizuki recognized the same sword that the redhead had used to deflect the barrage fo shriken that he had sent towards him earlier and also his taunt about his swordmanship knowledge. Now, it looked like it had been a bad idea.

A very bad idea.

"Well Mizuki-sensei, let's see if I can truly use this thing correctly." Naruto cheerfully commented before rushing towards him in an incoming wave slash which was blocked by Mizuki's kunai. Mizuki noticed Naruto's grin and saw how he effortlesly released his blade from the block from below and attempted anothe wave, but this time of diagonal slashes.

Not attempted. He actually did.

A wave of serial slashes almost got Mizuki, but he managed to get away with a quick Kawarimi.

Then, Mizuki came up from Naruto right hand side to try and knock him out with the blunt side of his Kunai. Fortunately Naruto had saw him coming towards him at the corner of his eye and was able to spin around in time to block Mizuki's Kunai with his the next few minutes the two of them traded blows against one another with neither giving the other much ground. As this was happening Iruka watched the two of them fight and could not help but be amazed at how Naruto a mere Genin was able to hold his own in fight against a Chūnin like Mizuki.

After another minute or so of fighting, both Naruto and Mizuki broke away from one another to take a break, Mizuki was panting slightly, but Naruto on the other hand was perfectly fine. As he had a lot of stamina thanks to the [Kyūbi] and his familiy's physical force and endurance training, hence he could fight like this for ages and still not be out of breath.

"Phant, Phant…. I have to admit kid your more skilled that I thought you were, but your still no match for me and you can't beat me. So why don't you do yourself a favour and give up and come with me quietly and you would get hurt" said Mizuki.

"Do you realize that you just repeated that?" Answered Naruto before rushing once again with a reverse arc that the silver-haired chūnin barely blocked.

 _'Gah!'_ Thought Mizuki before barely blocking another slash. He was now forced to wield two kunai if he hoped to actually block. But his efforts roved futile when the redhead boy began to push him back. _'The kid's strenght is ridiculous! How in the blue hell is able to pack such a punch in that small body?'_ Oh, how lucky he was that Naruto didn't heard that last comment.

Iruka, who was busy trying to stop his jaw of hitting the ground was seeing how one of his fromer students was having the upper hand against a [Former] seasoned chunin. The redhead's patterns wheren't the same after seconds, they changed more quickly than they struck. They were completely irregular with the exception of having a circular or spiral-like pattern at the end of each movement, just like .a...

 _'Whirpool'_ Thought Iruka. _'His sword-style practically resembles a whirpool in every aspect. He is dragging his opponent with intensive slashes [Currents] towards the very same center of a more dangerous movement [Vortex]. Someone litarraly has taken his own name towards his style.'_

Meanwhile, Naruto was resisting the urge of using the Uzumaki-Ryū on Mizuki but he knew that doing that would be a bit [Lie] overkill and also revealing. But that hardly meant that he was not allowed to [Toy] with his least favorite person. [Or at least for those momments. He still hadn't forgive the One-eyed Mummy.]

Naruto lunged forward while throwing a nasty punch from below that the silver-haired young man received after dodging the earlier lunge. He didn't even had time to sccream of pain before one of the golden chains emerged from Naruto's back and quickly surrounded Mizuki's waist.

Naruto, smiled again before launching a brutal kick towards the stomach while releasing the chain at the same time, which caused Mizuki to be sent back while...Spinning?

Iruka was sweatdropping now. _'Maybe he is taking his spiral-like theme a bit far.'_

Mizuki continued to spin until he crashed towards a nearby boulder much to the redhead' amusement. Calmly [While still snickering] Naruto walked towards him while extarcting some senbon from his pouch. He did a single handseal before the needles on his pam suddenly flew towards Mizuki and endep up turning him into a pinchushion.

"Ninpō: Bari Danmaku (Ninja Art: Needle Barrage)" He said clearly satisfied. "That's the very first technique that I endep up creating, glad to see that still serves."

That was more than enough for Iruka, who only openened his mouth before fainting leaving the redhead boy alone in the woods with the two uncouncious chuunin and a lartge scroll. Naruto poked Iruka's forehead and was half-tempted to use a minor Suiton jutsu to wake him up.

"Nah, he deserves some rest." Naruto said before accidently sitting over the scroll. "He had a long day and...Oh! What's this?" He commented while noticing the open scroll and throwing a quick glance inside of it. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)?" He read with interest in his azure eyes. "Well, what do we have here?"

 **xXx**

(Location: Hokage's Office.)

Unknown to Naruto, he was currently being watched by the Tōmegane no Jutsu (Telescope Technique) projected from a crystal ball in Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk. Having watched all the incident, the Proffesor didn't knew if he should felt relieved, proud or amused. Relieved because tha situation was over and none was truly harmed [Mizuki was a traitor, so he didn't count]. Proud because his surrogate grandson-like figure had practically sent a seasone chuunin back to school and amused by the way he had do it.

Then , he noticed that Naruto was reading the scroll and sweatdropped when he began to maddly clack and he could swear that he saw an evil gleam on is eyes. But his worries dissaperaed when he saw what was he reading.

"The Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone), huh?" Commented the aged Kage while taking another sip from his pipe. "He'll be fine. " He truly believed it. Since he knew how well his former ward had been doing he had been less overprotective and after all, he had heard Naruto's sevarl complains about his lack of a good Bunshinjutsu technique.

He was truly looking forward to see what other things would Naruto be doing in the future and he was more than aware that he had yet to see his true potential. Perhpahs in the most nearby Chuunin Exams?

He had already sent one of his jounin to recover the three in the woods as well as the scroll. One who was somewhat familiar with the redhead who apparently was now doing some hand seals. Hiruzen knew that Naruto would probably take some hours to get that thing done and his won son, would probably take more than just that.

Asuma was never one for quick responses anyway.

 **xXx**

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)!" Exclaimed Naruto after finishing the hand seals. Many puffs of smoke appeared and the redhead found himself satring at ten perfect copies of him.

Now that part of the clearing loked like a tomato stand. Naruto let a whistle escape his lips. "Well, they are apparently more slid than my Water ones." He commented befoe poking the arm of the nearest one.

"Hey, stop that boss!" Replied the clone as he swated the hand away. Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so they speak. That's great!" He commented before facing the rest. "Ok, all of you, say something."

"Something!" Answered an entire chorus. Naruto just sweatdropped. "Yep, they are my perfect copies, only I would say that."

He satred at his clones for some time before shrugging off. "Okay, I'll investigate what else they do later. You can all dispel" He ordered before hearing the distinctive sound taht the made and also gaining the biggest headhache of his life.

"Gah.." He groaned while panting. "I should'd order them to dispell one by one. How I hate migraine."

 _'Fox, is everything fine down there?'_

 **"How nice of you to ask."** Replied the said beast from his mind. **"A normal headache, nothing particularly grave, your precious mindscape and my toys are fine."**

 _'Good to know.'_ Thought the redhead while groaning before sensing another nearby presence. He quickly gabbed Guren and did a single hand seal in order to identify the signature. However, he relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Oh, Yo Asuma-san!"

The bearded man entered the clearing with one of his infamous deathsticks on his mouth. Like father, like son fatter all. He scanned the area and poked the unconscious body of the silver-haired traitor with his hand before turning towards the whiskered boy.

"You really are a piece of work kid." He commented, "Defeating a seasoned chūnin just after graduating is not something that you heard too often, I can see why pops likes to keep you around."

"What can I say?" replied the red-haired boy while shrugging. "I'm just that awesome." He had finished sealing away Guren and had closed the Scroll of Seals. He wasn't in need of more potentially dangerous techniques, especially ones that could kill him.

Asuma just shook his head. "How the hell didn't you graduated early?"

The redhead deadpanned. "We cannot graduate early since five years ago, when Weasel-san went nuts and killed all his family. If that hadn't happened, half of my class would've ended up being promoted [Or dead]."

Asuma knew that the point was valid. He also wasn't surprised that he was aware of the identity and crime of one of his former guards, the boy had the habit of knowing too much sometimes. For example, when he had replaced with water all the sake from the Jounin Lounge.

"Em, aren't we supposed to move on? I know that the old man sent you here to pick me and this thing too. But how are we supposed to carry them?" He asked while pointing towards the two unconscious men, one in the boulder and the other on the ground.

"I'll carry your former instructor and an ANBU Squad is coming soon to pick up Silver over there." He said while pointing towards Mizuki. "But I think that he should be restrained before he wakes up, do you happen to have some wire strings among that store you wear on your jacket?"

The redhead shook his head before grinning. "Nope, but I've something much better." He said while walking until he was in front of the humiliated chuunin and started to do a long sequence of hand seals.

Half a minute later he was still doing the sequence.

"Uh, how many hand seals does that thing has'" Asked Asuma who didn't knew if he should laugh or sweatdrop.

"Don't really know." Was the reply. "I always lost count when I reach sixty"

Naruto finished the chain and clapped letting some green sparks flee from his palms before slamming them on Mizuki's torso.

"Fūinjutsu: Tenbaku Hōhō (Sealing Technique: Celestial Binding Method)!"

Two large kanji for Ketsu (Bind) appeared on the struck places and eight thin formulae threads extended from it and began to extended through the body until they connected with another two similar markings that had appeared on the back. A green-like glow covered the two seals and heir formulae threads before disappearing.

The redhead separated his palms and turned back. "There it is, with a double layer not even one of the freaking Sannin should be able to break the binding, unless they have an entire week."

"What technique was that?" Asked Asuma intrigued. He had heard numerous times from his father's mouth about the talent that the young Uzumaki [Along with 98% of his Kin] had over the Sealing Arts, but seeing that on first hand was another thing.

'And to think that most of us only know how to seal stuff in scrolls.'

"The Tenbaku Hōhō (Celestial Binding Method). The only A-ranked technique [Lie] that I know. It consists of some complicated formulae created with some hand seals and specific designs on mind. When stuck in another surface, the seal will activate itself when detecting another source of chakra. The formulae chains restrain and shut off the target's chakra network. It can be directly applied or use as a trap. However, if the target's chakra pressure exceeds the one poured in the seal, it will not have the desired effect." Almost encyclopedia-like recited the red head while adjusting some imaginary glasses. "If my chakra control was better, that technique wouldn't be so complicated to use. I blame the furball for that."

Asuma's eyes widened a bit. "So, it's true, you already know of that." He said exhaling smoke from his mouth. Naruto's eyes rolled before throwing a quick glance.

"Let me guess, the old man told you and he was watching me with his fancy ball?"

Asuma whistled again before shrugging. "Don't know anything kid, despite what that wanna-be elite said, not everyone on the village hates you but I think that you don't care too much about it, that's good." He said while carrying the unconscious Iruka over his shoulder." I'm just going to say it once more, because I know that it will be true. You really are gonna go far kid."

Naruto smiled after hearing that. Praise from superiors was always what he had craved.

"Now, let's go before my father ends up being buried under another paperwork mountain."

Both snickered under their breaths imagining that but also shuddered. They pitied the poor bastard that would end up with the hat on the future. [The Irony.]

 **xXx**

(Twenty Minutes Later/Hokage's Office.)

After walking for a few miles through the forest and village, laving Iruka at home with a note that explained what happened, both Jounin and Genin were face to face with the Hokage and had just finished his story about the whole event. Or actually, Naruto had.

"And then, I used one of my chains to keep him still before kicking his stomach and releasing him at the same time. Shame that I have not yet mastered the Chakra Blocking technique, it would have been much easier that way."

The story ended and it was at that moment that Naruto decided to make a small demonstration. Concentrating this time on his chakra flow, Naruto started the chain of hand seals.

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)!" Exclaimed the redhead with the best possible control he had over his own Chakra reserves. Almost instantaneously, small clouds of smoke appeared on his side revealing five perfect copies.

Asuma's mouth now resembled that of an open-throated fish while Hiruzen looked a little astonished, much to the redhead's amusement and his ten clones.

"Amazing" said the Professor while taking another sipnfrom his pipe. _'And they all say that young Sasuke is the only endowed of this generation'_ He thought, Obviously he was not going to say that out loud, the last thing he needed was an arrogant Naruto.

If only he knew.

Naruto beamed before dispelling the clones one by one did not want to repeat the headache from before and patted the scroll surface like a pet.

"So, I'll get something extra for this?" Naruto asked a little hopefully. To be just a boy of twelve, they had a serious interest in things like prizes, especially monetary ones. But who could blame him? He had taken missions since the age of six without receiving any pay in return.

"Probably." Nodded Hiruzen before telling his son that he could retire, which the jōnin was prepared to do much to his relief, not that he did mind a conversation with the boy with the red hair and his father, but had a commitment to attend.

"Good luck on your date with the red-eyed woman!" Said Naruto while waving with his eyes closed.

Asuma stopped dead on his path and turned to Naruto. "I thought that you had given up your hobby of stalking people."

Naruto grinned. "I lied."

"Not much of a surprise there."

When Asuma had stepped out of the office, Naruto turned to Hiruzen and ended up sitting in the stool before opening his azure eyes.

"So how was my demonstration?"

Hiruzen sighed. _'Is this how Tobirama-sensei felt like?'_ He thought before answering. "As Asuma pointed out, if students had permission to graduate early, you would already be a seasoned chuunin if not a Tokubetsu Jōnin in Fūinjutsu. But.."

"Yeah, yeah I get it." Cut Naruto while shaking his hands. "All this culminates with the controversy of the young geniuses sent to the field, who usually end up becoming traitors or nuts"

"That's not always the case." Pointed out Hiruzen, but he knew that the redhead was mostly right.

"Those fellows can be counted with just one hand." Said Naruto from the stool while raising his left one. " _You-know-who_ being first." The redhead threw and apologic glance towards Hiruzen who just nodded telling him to continue. " Akasuna no Sasori (Sasori of the Red Sands) Another nodd. The genious of the Puppet Brigade of Sunagakure, who turned traitor a decade and nearly a half ago at the end of the brutal Third War. "Yagura Shikorae." Genocidal, mass murderer and the one that ended the life of his predecessor. "Itachi Uchiha." Another flinch. "And recently, that Iwa guy who kinda blew up his own Kage Tower, heh that would'd been so awesome to watch."

Hiruzen sweatdropped. Naruto's issues with Kayajutsu where well known to him. But he was confident that the redhead jinchuuriki would not attempt to blew up his office. He hoped that. Hoped.

"It's not just Naruto-kun," said the Proffesor of the Sannin as he took his pipe again. "There are several reasons why I kept you very close for a while."

Said redhead resisted the urge of a snort while hearing that. _'I wonder how pissed would he be if I told him about ALL the things that Sekigan-sama did under his own nose.'_

"Other than that I am apparently the Jinchūriki of the most powerful thing that the Shinobi World has ever known?"

"Yes, your status as a Uzumaki would have raised several red flags and even today, they may even lift ." Pointed out the old Kage. "More than twenty-seven years have passed since the siege of Uzushio but the scars on that battle are still running very deep. Our own current allies of Suna lost their Nidaime there. Kumogakure lost his prized Golden Horn Force and Kirigakure almost lost their Sandaime also there." _'Not that it would have been a great misfortune'_ Added to himself Hiruzen.

"Your talent and blood would have caught the attention of those three in addition to Iwa, who also participated, albeit on a smaller scale in that assault. And if the truth had leaked out of what you have ..." Professor's eyes were lost for a few minutes in the memories of the past.

Naruto playfully poked his arm. "I understand Jiji, I'm not upset about you keeping that to yourself." He said. "You had more than enough reasons to keep the secret and at least you tried to protect me, the silence of five years was enough proof of that." [Not like I would not mind ripping off the tongue of the Serpent who spilled the beans.]

Hiruzen seemed to return to himself. "My apologies Naruto-kun, I do not have the right to troubling you about my foolish decisions and mistakes of the past." I have grimly stated.

 _'I seriously doubt that you could'd do something about it.'_ Grimly thought Naruto. _'Especially when taking into account that you where up aggainst three SS-rated shinobi in the West Campaign. One from Suna with his fearsome Kekkei Genkai,_ _The Jiton (Magnet Release). Another who had an impenetrable armor and a thunder for hand_ _from Kumo [The Third Lightning Shadow] and the last one, from Ame, the first shinobi to wield the very same contract that I'm bound to. Sanshōuo no Hanzō (Hanzō of the Salamander). Jiji was up against the three of them, and that wasn't counting the fourth big player. To think that that fearsome Kekkei T_ _ō_ _ta (Bloodline Selection)_ _nearly gave the Third Earth Shadow the rank that his predecessor once held.'_

"Okay, but seriously, I'm not upset or anything. Hell! You could even send a Yamanaka through my head safely." _'Although I would prefer that you didn't order it right now, I haven't sealed away my "Shady" stuff.'_ He mentally added.

"Yes," Hiruzen started. "About that, how did you ended up finding out?"

Naruto deadpanned. "I accidently put a charged Kyūin (Absorbtion Seal) on myself and when I noticed, the seal in my stomach was fully revealed. However when I tried to analuze it, the seal bit me."

"It bit you?" Asked Hiruzen confused by Narutos words. _'Minato, just what the hell did you added to that seal?'_

Noticing the confusion. The redhead quickly corected himself. "It's an expression, what I meant is that when I touched it, a chakra-like sting charged against my fingers. It almost felt like when ine of the Inuzuka's hounds bit me. I almost fainted, but when I woke up, I wasn't in the room anymore. I was in my mindscape."

 _'So the seal has the fox inside the mind? I can't say that is the most healthy thing.'_

"Did you know that sealed people Mindscape's usually take the form of sewers? Because how it used to look."

Hiruzen nodded. His own Minscape was his office after all, but without the precense of paperwork.

"Imagine my surprise when I encountered there a fox, a very big fox caged right at the back of my mind. However, I first thought it was a rabbit, his ears certainly looked like that."

 **"I'm going to eat you."**

 _'Your dreams doesn't count.'_

"But then, I saw the nine swaging tails and the organge fur and just put two plus another two."

"And when did that happened?" Asked Hiruzen.

"Oh, I was seven [Six]."

Realization struck Hiruzen like a hammer. Since the age of seven he had been aware of his burden as a container of a demon? Long before he entered the Academy and he hadn't noticed that? Only teasr of practice allowed the God of the Shinobi to mantain his jaw firmly on its place.

'I'm really getting to old for this shit.'

"And before you ask. No, he never offered me power beyond my imagination or threatened me with a gruesome death and the destruction of everything." Said Naruto who looked at Hiruzen waiting for him to elaborate. "Okay, he did swear that he was going to eat me and take over my body a few times, but I managed to gain his silence [And respect, but I'll be damned if I tell you that.]

"How did you do it?" _'Knowing my luck, he'll end up revealing that he has Mokuton (Wood Release) or something like that'_

"I kinda created images of the Shodai Hokage and Madara Uchiha so the Kyuubi could play [Rip them to shreds] with them."

Hiruzen couldn't held back a laughter. If only he could only see the face of the Shodaime hearing that.

 **xXx**

(Five Minutes Later)

"Ok, so let me get this right. This Jutsu is able to transport the memories of the clones to the original?" Questioned Naruto to which Hiruzen nodded.

"That's just...Awesome!"Yelled Naruto pumping his fist on the air before he starting cackling. "Ohh, so many things I will be able to do with this, completely master all my techniques, learn more faster new ones. Hell Jiji! You should be saying goodbye to your Kami no Shinobi (God of the Shinobi) title because **it** will be mine!"

Now it was Hiruzen's turn to be amused. "You sure aim big Naruto-kun, I myself obtained that title at the age of thirty-nine, are you sure that you can beat it?". He knew that the redhead would be strong one day, it would be impossible if he didn't taking into account what was sealed inside his gut. But reaching his own rating, the very same that only three men had reached was another thing.

 _'But that would go along with the cycle.'_ He thought. After all, Konoha had been founded and led by a SSS-rated shinobi as the Shodai Hokage, then it was followed by a SS+ one (The Second) who was replaced by him (Another SSS-rated one) who had been replaced by the Fourth who had been given a SS+ rank during the Third War. So in theory, the Godaime Hokage should have the SSS rank.

"Of course!" Exclaimed the redhead too excited by what he had discovered. "With this in my hands and all the knowledge I can acquire, I will be the most powerful of all Konoha and the people here will have to swallow the fact that I will be the one who ends up saving them! Who needs a revenge like this when you can just make ithem swallow their own pride? " Then he started laughing.

"Well my boy, it looks like you've a long path to travel."Hiruzen commented. "But for now, try not to tell anyone that you have that in your arsenal. That's still a Kinjutsu after all."

"Of course Jiji." Naruto replied while actually imagining an armada of his own making enough storage scrolls to supply an entire hidden village. He rubbed his hands imagining all the money he would earn. _'Well, my Clan did not end up with money just doing missions.'_ Thought the redhead. _'Besides there are still things I need to buy [Hurt], and seeing that I'm a shinobi now I must start paying the bills.'_

"Oh, and do not forget to spend in a few days for your shinobi registration and your photo ID. Remember you must be presentable." Continued Hiruzen. "I would tell you to study hard, but that stage is already over, welcome to the shinobi life Naruto-kun."

The redhead just smiled before jumping out of the office. When Hiruzen saw that he was gone, he turned his gaze to a portrait of the wall, that of a young blond man with blue eyes, almost as much as Naruto's.

"With the knowledge of that Justu, he will become much stronger." Hiruzen commented as he smoked his pipe. "Your son is on his way to becoming a very powerful shinobi, Minato. I wonder how far he will go."

Then he noticed that the paperwork pile was still over his desk and groaned. He was going to be another hour stuck there.

 **xXx**

Her parents had gone out for a last minute walk and her brother was out in a mission, so Ami found herself alone in her house when she returned after Iruka-sensei fixed the situation and told her not to worry. Of course that also included the fact that she would have to take the next year to the Academy, but after the events of today, Ami knew that it was the best choice.

After having eaten and showered, she was preparing to sleep. Which she : Tried.

The image of Mizuki with that sinister grin as he threw those shuriken at the redhead who had confronted her and most likely saved from having committed a crime . He appeared every time he tried to sleep. Then she got up grunting and noticed one thing. The curtain was open and the window was too.

"It's a little cold outside. Don't you think?" Said a rather familiar voice at her side.

Ami shouted before she saw the little figure sitting on her bed in a crouch. The moonlight showed the crimson-blood hair that he had and also his weird feral birthmarks on his cheeks.

How do you do it? "He asked as he lifted a hand in mock greeting . Ami remained silent for a few seconds with her mouth open that she was in danger of a fly entering there before it closed temporarily, just to reopen this time screaming.

"Oh, before you scream, I've placed-"

"AAAHHH!"

"Soundproof Seals on the walls." Finished lamely Naruto while looking amused by the purple-haired girl reaction.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"

The redhead shrugged. "I got lost, I have trouble traveling at night." He noticed the expression of seriousness on Ami's face and seemed to change his mind. "Nothing, I just came to cut a small loose end, nothing new."

"What do you mean with that?" Ami asked a little nervously. She did not like the accentuation of the word cut. She had seen what could the boy do with that sword after all.

"The Sound Absorbing Seals were not the only thing I put on the walls." The redhead said, pointing to the ground. The purple-haired girl could see how there was actually something drawn down there. Three concentric rings with a series of engraved characters. She recognized those that meant [Delete] as well as that of [Memory].

"I'm sorry, but it seems that you where having a bad dream after all." The redhead commented while preparing both hands to run a series of chains of hand seals. As he did so, the characters began to glow until the glow spread to the concentric rings.

The whole seal was glowing after a few minutes.

"It's ready." He announced as he opened his eyes revealing both electric blue wells. "Sweet Dreams!" He gestured at me.

"Wait!"

"Huh?" Asked the redhead. He just had to make a gesture and finish, but for some reason stopped. I could not help but feel a little curious.

"Why are you doing this?" Ami asked.

"Simple, you could say there are things that are best left as they are." Answered Naruto as he finished maing the hand gesture. "Metsu (Wipe Out.)"

 **xXx**

(The Next Day.)

After a quick breakfast, which saw Naruto making plans for the day and the week ahead , the redhead soon found himselfself standing before the Third Hokage in the Shinobi Registration Office of the Administration Building. With the jinchuriki looking incredibly pleased with himself ,Naruto stood at ease, and waited patiently for the village leader to finish reading through the documents he had just handed to had been pretty smooth sailing for him since leaving the apartment. He'd managed to fill in all the empty spaces in the documents given to him by his teachers and had his photo taken without a fuss. This being his first and possibly only chance to get his profile documentations right, you could say they were more than a little bit excited after seeing the Third lay the sheet down and rest his eyes upon him.

"So? So? Is everything alright, Hokage-jiji?" Naruto asked.

Hiruzen chuckled. "No need to fret . All the information you've written down checks out and you've managed to cover all of the essentials. I don't see anything needless or out of place, even in your hobbies and interests."

Although he could not avoid sweatdrop when he saw what was written in the former section.

 _'Cutting, blowing up, seal, collect and stalk stuff?'_ Read the Hokage. _'Subtle Naruto-kun, so subtle.'_

"In any case," Hiruzen exclaimed while clearing his throat, "You did well in filling in your forms and handing them to me on time." He saw the redhead nod, which brought a smile to his face. "Then I will see you later. Let me know if there are any problems."

However, before the redhead had a chance to answer, he was interrupted when the door opened and a little kid rushed in with wooden shuriken in his hand."Now I've got you old man!" the child yelled, "after I defeat you, I'll become Hokage!"

Naruto blinked as he watched the kid run. He was wearing a head cap and a blue scarf that was several feet too long for him. _'If he keeps running like that he's going to trip.'_

As if on cue the young boys feet got caught up in his scarf and he tripped, landing flat on his face.

"Owowow!" The boy yelped as he put his hands on his face and rolled back and forth along the floor.

 _'Oh boy,'_ Sarutobi thought as he sighed, _'If it's not one thing, it's another.'_ The aged Kage pulled his hat down over his face in embarrassment. Naruto merely stared at the kid, wondering how the hell he could actually be dumb enough to wear a scarf that was so large. At the same time a man wearing dark plane clothes and sunglasses appeared in the door way, panting a bit.

"Gah! Dang, did someone set up a trap to trip me!" The kid shouted as he sat up, holding his head.

"Honorable grandson! Are you alright?" The man wearing the sunglasses asked. "And pardon my observations but there are no traps here, the surface is completely flat and secure." The man said as he regained his composure, pushing his sunglasses up on his nose in what the redhead thought was a snooty gesture.

 _'He looks like Sasaki-sensei doing that.'_

Naruto just continued to look on at the scene, one eye twitching. _'Kami, I'm glad that I wasn't born that clumsy!'_ He though.

The boy got up from the floor and looked around, noticing Naruto staring at him. At the same time the man with the sunglasses spotted Naruto as well.

 _'It's him! The brat that infiltrated the Jounin Lounge! He's the worst kind of troublemaker around!'_ The man thought as he sneered at Naruto which he did not noticed as the boy stomped up to him and pointed.

"It was you wasn't it! You're the one who tripped me!" He accused angrily, pointing a finger at him.

 _'Kami, and people say that I'm annoying.'_ Said redhead just sighed before he reached out and grabbed the boys scarf, flinging it back and forth in front of the child's face.

"This," Naruto said in a slow voice as if talking to someone who was retarded. "Is what you tripped over. Seriously, if you're going to wear something like this, get one in a smaller size so your clumsy feet can't trip over it."

"No, no, no, NO!" the boy shouted as he stomped his feet on the ground. "You did it! I know you did! Just admit it you coward!"

That was enough for the redhead who was debating between placing a sound-absorbing seal on the mouth of the brat or immobilizing it on the wall for a few hours with the help of a creative and effective that in the end was decided by the closest approach. That is to say to give a blow from above, which was to stop in the helmet.

"By Kami, you're annoying." Naruto commented as he grabbed him by the scarf. "Now, what will I do? What will I do? Bind you to the ceiling for an hour or the floor?"

"Uzumaki! Take your hands off of him this instant!" The sunglasses man shouted. "He is the Honorable grandson of our leader, the Sandaime Hokage-Sama!"

Naruto paused as he turned to the man in the sunglasses, thinking about what he said before turning to the kid in his grip.

"Wait a minute! This runt is Konohamaru? Damm, he is still a midget." He commented before releasing the scarf-wearing kid.

 _'That's right,'_ the boy thought with a smirk. _'He's just like the rest, stopping from doing something as soon as he learns who I am ... Wait a minute! He said my name ?! '_ Then, Konohamaru eyed the whiskered redhead in front of him and felt his eyes widen.

"Naruto-nii-chan?"

The man wearing the sunglasses looked scandalous, while Hiruzen; Amused. _'Yep, he is exactly him.'_ Thought Naruto before smiling a little. "It has been a while, isn't it Konohamaru?" He asked before helping the younger boy to get up.

"What is the meaning of this Hokage-sama?" Ebisu asked in alarm. The Sarutobi just shook his head. "Naruto-kun and Konohamaru have known each other for a long time. It could be said that he is like the older brother he never had, although I am afraid his infamous prankster tendencies where picked-up by my grandson , but at least it wasn't his hoobie of stalking others."

"Now you must listen to me Honorable Grandson. You must not associate yourself with juvenile delinquents like that, nor should you attempt to draw him into a conflict even if he does deserve it." Ebisu lectured the boy. "He is far beneath you, so you must not stoop to his level. As your distinguished Jonin Sensei, I am never wrong about these things, which means I am always right!"

Ebisu smirked to himself as he turned to look at the village through the open balcony on the left side of the room. "I'm above the more mundane trainers, so you must heed my every word. Your goal is to become the next Hokage, and I can teach you the best way to go about it. Indeed, stick with me and you will gain the short cut to becoming Godaime Hokage. You understand don't you Honorable Grandson?"

Ebisu asked as he turned around, only to find himself talking to thin air. "AH! Where did he go now!" Ebisu wailed.

"I believe he followed Naruto, but I have no idea where their headed." Sarutobi offered up in a calm and casual tone as he lit his pipe.

"WHAT!?" Ebisu shouted in shock and consternation. "This is a disaster!" Ebisu ran out of the room and down the hall.

 _'How did Konohamaru-kun turn out to be like that?'_ The old Hokage had to wonder, sighing a bit as he took a puff of his pipe. ' _He's quite determined. That was his tenth sneak attack today alone. '_ He thought to himself as he blew out a few smoke rings. _'Although if he hangs around Naruto again he might learn a thing or two.'_ He paused in his thoughts and grimaced. _'At least so long as Naruto doesn't teach him anything… tricky.'_ The image of a Konohamaru filling the Sarutobi compound with numerous sealing tags quickly sprang to his mind before he banished it.

Sighing, Hiruzen looked down at the new paperwork he had gotten and began to read it over.

 **xXx**

Naruto sighed as he dropped some change into a vending machine to get himself some soda. _'If only vending machines ended up taking over for shops, then I wouldn't go broke because of stupid prejudices… '_ He shook his head of the thought, knowing that thinking something so negative would do him no good. Turning around he looked at is… companion.

Walking over to Konohamaru he sat down, popping his soda can and taking a long gulp. "So, tell me, what was going on with you and Hokage-Jiji? It didn't seem like this was a singular event."

"You know that the old man named me Konohamaru, after the name of the village; he said it would bring me luck." Konohamaru murmured. Naruto nodded to himself as he listened. He already knew that anyway "You'd think that it would be easy to remember. But no one, not a single person in the whole village ever calls me by my name. Except you, Jiji and uncle Asuma. It's because when they look at me, they don't see me, they see the Honorable Grandson of the Sandaime Hokage."

Naruto raised an eyebrow as Konohamaru kicked a rock. "They don't see who I am, just who I'm related to. It's like I'm invisible, hidden behind Ojisan's shadow, and I'm so sick of it… that's why I'm going to become Hokage now! So people will know who I really am!"

 _'This kid has the reverse problem of my past self that it isn't even funny'_ Naruto thought incredulously. _'He's still basically ignored, but it's more of ignoring who he is, rather than his existence.'_

The kid reminded him a lot of himself, how he used to be before the [Don't remember it] Not that something like this would make Naruto give the kid any sympathy. If anything Konohamaru needed an ass kicking. But he couldn't do that. [Not yet.]

Naruto snorted. "You think it's that easy." Konohamaru looked up at Naruto. "If you could become Hokage so easily then everyone would try to be Hokage. The Hokage is not just the strongest ninja in the whole village, but he's also the smartest and the one who's dedicated his life to serving the village as its protector. You have to think of each villager as if they were a member of your family and be willing to put your life on the line to keep the safe. That is what being Hokage is about. And it will take hard work, dedication, blood, sweat and tears to get there. Not just anyone can be Hokage."Naruto suddenly grinned. "The First and the Second survived a period where not even small kids survived, the Old Man was the best among the best of his own generation and the Fourth was an unrivalled genious. There is a reason why the Hokage's have always been the stronger among their own leagues."

"So what the hell do you want me to do?" Asked the younger boy a little frustrated.

"Simple,"replied the redhead before tossing the soda can into the nearest trash can. "Train hard every day, do it until your muscles agonize if necessary. Study hard until your head hurts and above those two, never, ever loose sight of your goal."

Unfortunately the reunion did not last long or at least those were the memories that the clone of shadow that had created by way of test showed. Apparently an argument when the instructor arrived ended up a bit in violence.

Who'd say? He just needed a lower chakra flow to use the Kongō Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains) to suppress a chakra source. Poor Ebisu experienced it in the wrong way.

 **xXx**

(One Week Later.)

As per the usual route, after waking up early that morning to get some additional training with Guren and now his newly favorite Jutsu, Naruto soon found himself up in the academy building sitting quietly in his homeroom, middle row, center, alongside dozens of his other fellow graduates. Thanks to all the excitement that had been bottled up inside him all week, the jinchuriki had barely been able to keep still and had sought any and all means of physical exercise in an attempt to put a dampener on his accelerator.

Naruto was unable to stop his legs from bouncing along the floor as he looked around at all the familiar faces ready and waiting for the day ahead. While some like Sasuke and Shino passed the time by keeping to themselves and sitting quietly, Chōji and Shikamaru kept their persons occupied through conversation, as did many of the other students. It was basically same-old, same-old around the room, which gave the jinchuriki plenty of time to meditate on his own thoughts, unless someone decided to drop by and say hi, which the redhead doubted.

 _'Let's see,'_ Naruto thought, holding up his fingers and deciding to make a summary for himself, _'Not counting the Sealing Techniques and the Uzumaki-Ryuu, I've a total of at least eight mastered Elemental Ninjutsu under my belt, but I also know another twelve too.'_ It was reassuring for him to know that he did in fact have techniques he could fall back on if push came to shove. On their own they packed a hell of a punch, but now it was all a matter of working on them, making them stronger, faster, and coming up with new and creative ideas on how to execute them. In the Foundation he was bound to stay as a deadly shadow, but now, with the Shadow Clone in his hands, the possibilities were endless. He could think on them now and practice with them later, but all he was doing at this time was cutting down on minutes.

"Lost in thought?" a voice spoke up beside Naruto, who turned to see Shikamaru Nara standing beside him with his hands in his pockets. The jinchuriki noted the boy was wearing his headband around his arm. "That's new."

"Hey, Shikamaru. Surprised to see you're not taking a nap," Naruto also noted with a smirk. "That's also new."

The Nara rolled his shoulder tiredly, "I would like to, but everyone's making so much noise it's impossible to get any shut eye."

"Normally that wouldn't be a problem for you," Naruto said, leaning back in his seat with his hands behind his head. "Maybe you're tense because nobody knows what's actually going to happen with this team assignment thing. I mean… are they going to let us choose what teams we're gonna be on or are the teachers going to decide for us?"

"It's probably going to be the latter," the boy answered, sliding into a seat in the row across from the jinchuriki. "Think about it; if we were given the choice of who we wanted to be on a team with, wouldn't they have mentioned it in the registration forms or at the graduation ceremony?"

Naruto squinted in his usual, fox-like manner and looked ahead of him thoughtfully. "Hmm, yeah. I guess they would have.""Maybe it'll turn out to be one of those lucky draws from the hat or something,"

Shikamaru shrugged, before swinging his legs up onto his desk and throwing his hands behind him. "Either way, it doesn't matter to me. I have absolutely no problem with being partnered up with anybody in this class. As long as it doesn't involve a lot of work, then I'm cool with it."

The redhead sweatdropped

"I sometimes wonder how you even survived the academy," Naruto murmured, staring oddly at the Nara who looked ready to nod out right where he was lying.S hikamaru yawned in response, "By doing the bare minimum, Naruto. The bare minimum."

Typical slacker attitude, just what you'd expect from a master of the art. There were of course several other students in the class that fell under the same character, chief among which included Choji and Kiba, Idate Morino used to be one also. But that was all old news that was better left for the books. The main thing was that a lot of them had changed drastically since the days they were kids and skipping school, even though Shikamaru looked as though he hadn't grown one bit.

"Don't suppose you're thinking of changing your wardrobe?"

"No way. Too much effort," Shikamaru replied. "This look suits me best."

'Yeah… the easy, just rolled out of bed look. Though Naruto with a smirk. Obviously his classmate would pick a combination of clothes that were the simplest to put on and didn't require any effort or forethought. Naruto just rolled his eyes in amusement and went on to thinking again.

"You guys seem excited," Kiba exclaimed, coming to standing next to Naruto and lean against the desk elevated behind the jinchuriki, who looked up to see the Inuzuka grinning down at him. The boy with the white pup nestled comfortably in his jacket looked between the pair chatting away across from one another. "Wondering what teams you're gonna be put on?"

"Not really," Shikamaru replied.

"Sort of," Naruto said with a smile, propping his arm on the table. "I'm not fussed as long as we get to go on missions real soon."

"Same," Kiba chuckled before pointing to himself. "Just so you know Naruto, if we're put on the same team together, I'm the Alpha! The pack leader. Got it?"

"Ha! In your dreams mutt." Replied the redhead. "Isn't the pack leader the strongest? Or even the smartest? You're none of both." Finished Naruto with his fox-like stare.

 _'Yes Kiba, learn that the Fox is above the Mutt, learn!'_

"Do you want a fight tomato'?" Growled Kiba.

"What did you called me, Dog-breath?" Replied Naruto with his left eye ywicthing. Both were probably going to start a brawl in those moments.

"Guys, this is not the momment to-" Interfered Idate Morino trying to play peace seeker.

"Shut up Morino!" Cutt off Kiba. "There is alway a momment for a fight!"

"Would it kill you to stop being so loud?" Asked Sasuke from his seat. Apparently, the argument between his fellows Graduates had demmed imposibkle for him to continue with his brood. The four others just stared at him with wide eyes fro some minutes.

"What?" Grunted the raven-haired kid.

Naruto just elbowed Kiba on the ribs before muttering. "He speaks, you owe me ten Ryo." The feral looking boy nodded while mumbling something under his breath and handled over two bills to the redhead.

Sasuke rolled his eyes before he returned to his usual pose. _'Idiots, all of them.'_ He thought while he clasped both hands and was aware of the multiple stares that his fangirls where directing to him with their hearth-shaped eyes. He remembered once that Him had told him that he used to had the same problem in his Academy days, the question was, how was he supposed to do the same?

Nonetheless, he was glad that he was now free. Oh, how wrong he was.

"Man, I can't believe that you just remembered that bet. It was two years ago." Commented Kiba while patting Akamaru's head. He was still a bit sore about lossing money so early and was throwing glances towards the puch where the redhead had stored the money.

"What can I say?'" Replied Naruto while shrugging. "I'm just that good remembering the stuff that interest me." _'Among other things.'_

"Is that why you are able to survive that written tests?" Asked Idate a bit curious, he never had a bright spot for that area dn his low marks where enough prove of that.

"Nah,that's just because I've the Fox's luck" _'Literalry'_ Answered the redhead while throwing a quick glance at the door. _'I wonder if Iruka-senseri will even appear today, how has he been coping in this week, I don't know.'_ He thought before sensing said Chakra Signature in the building. _'Oh, nevermind that.'_

"Wouldn't be ironic if Kiba ended up in Sasuke's team?" Asked Idate with an smirk which provoked a few snicker from Naruto adn another growl from Kiba who was internally preaching to whatever deidity he knew to not end up like that.

"Beats me." Replied the redhead. "I wouldn't mind to be in the High Brooder Lord team, it's probably the one who will receive the most skilled instructor." He was speaking seriously. Despite his not so friendly terms with the raven-haired prodigy, Naruto was hardly one to judge one for their attitude, he also recognized his potential much to his tenant's displeasure. His vulpine companion had alwas harboured a deep resent towards the wielders of the famed Copy Wheel Eye, but the redhead was hardly interested in that. Whatever where the Furball's feuds, it weren't his problem.

"Whatever." Kiba answered. "And does anyone in particular with whom they want to be of the girls in the team?"

None dared to respond.

"I don't know, Hinata for example, she looks nice."Continued Kiba referring to the timid heiress of the Hyūga Clan that was on the other side of the room clasping her fingers together. Naruto threw a glance at her and shrugged off. "I cannot say anything, Kiba, I've never talked to her, although I do remember that Yakumo-chan did it a few times."

"What about her? You would not like to be on the same team." Kiba pointed ou reffering to the brunette. The redhead simply closed his eyes and shrugged again. "I don't care about that, so long as it can work as a team and works, for me it's okay." Naruto stretched out one of his hands. "Although if there is anything I'm sure, is that it would be very difficult for me to be on the same team as Sakura or Ino." He commented after a few seconds.

"Ugh." Idate added. "And now that we are talking about those two, I wonder where they are."

"Troublesome." Commented Shikamaru. "Don't summon them, please."

"Too late." Announced Naruto who had activated his Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Kagura) and was scanning the surroundings, he had detected two low chakra signatures comming towards the door. "They are here already."

3

2

1

Sakura and Ino suddenly decided to come charging through the door, out of breath and looking ragged from an apparent race to get to the academy glanced up when he heard the scramble at the top entrance. _'Hmm, told so.'_ He though smugly.

The four boys just watched oddly as Sakura started her own feud in the middle row with the other girls, which slowly turned into quite an entertaining performance when they saw the various tick marks forming on Sasuke's head as he sat in the center of the proverbial super to say, that was at least entertaining.

 **xXx**

(Location: Hokage's Office.)

Unbeknownst to all of the kids in the recently graduated academy group, their classroom was currently being monitored by the all-seeing-eye of one Hiruzen Sarutobi, who, along with the handful of Jonin and even some Tokubetsu Jonin that would be taking on teams this year, were currently in conference over some of the more prospective Genin of the batch. With everyone gathered including the notoriously late Hatake Kakashi, the would-be squad leaders looked on in amusement at the sight of Uchiha Sasuke being flocked by his fan club.

"He seems rather popular," man with brown hair in a ponytail and a scar on the side of his mouth exclaimed, earning chuckles all around.

"No doubt about that," Asuma Sarutobi also commented, nodding towards the crystal ball in the center of the Hokage's desk. "So that's the most promising student of this year, Sasuke Uchiha? Correct?"

"That's right," Hiruzen replied, looking up at the collection of instructors gathered in front of him. "Out of all the students in the class he's got most of the highest marks in all areas; an excellent prodigy, particularly on the Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Shurikenjutsu fields. On top of that he's incredibly perceptive and exceptionally talented for his age. Even his teachers said that his combat skills alone measure up to that of a high-level Genin or even a Chūnin."

"Now that's indeed is a promising student," Kurenai Yuhi, a crimson-eyed woman commented with a smile.

Kakashi Hatake, who had been standing quietly beside the desk and looking at the orb intently, saw the ball's view slowly maneuver around and land on the familiar whsikered face of Naruto, who was currently seated in the same row with the Nara and Inuzuka's heirs.

After watching him for a few minutes, the Jonin smiled underneath his mask and nodded towards it, "What about this one?" He said gaining the attention of the other future instructors.

"Naruto Uzumaki,huh?" Hiruzen murmured, a smile appearing on his own face, "Ah yes, the most _interesting_ student of the bunch."

"Isn't he the one that single-handedly brought down Mizuki a week ago?" Asked a bandana-wearing Tokubetsu Jounin with a senbon on his mouth.

"Literally beat his own instructor after the Academy , mind you," Kakashi added before looking towards the aged Kage. "What do we have to say about him?"

"Though his character is confusing and viewed several times as odd, Naruto is also an incredible prospect," Hiruzen stated, lacing his fingers together and breathing evenly on his pipe. "His grades are above average, yet his experiences outside of the academy tell a different story. He's a fast kinesthetic learner armed with a pseudo-eidetic memory and a keen intelect. Naruto's skill in combat is different. While he shows regular Taijutsu prowress, he has shown a natural affinity towards Bukijutsu in general , but that pales in comparison to where his true potential lies." Commented Hiruzen before finishing. "Fūinjutsu prowress outside the charts for someone of his age, and that's not even counting the fact that he has the potential to become an unrivaled Ninjutsu user in the future if his already big chakra reserves serve as an indication. His fighting prowress in those areas, actually surpasses Sasuke's."

"He looks like an interesting kid." A kunoichi commented with her hair pulled back in a pineapple style, the blood-thirsty smile on her face intensified when she saw the usual expression of the redhead's face. "I call dibs on him."

Those around her parted a little.

 _'We are doomed.'_ Was the general thought. Hiruzen looked amused.

"Are you sure Anko? Kakashi here planned to ask for him, but seeing that he already has another task in mind, it is likely to be a very valid option. "

The masked jonin nodded. "I planned to take Sasuke to be able to continue with my promise to Obito, but with the rule that the Rookie of the Year enters with the same kunoichi in the same team along with the Dead-Last , I see that it is improbable since Naruto did not had that position. "

"Talking about it." Asuma added, "I think we will have to make an exception, because the current Dead Last needs to be in my team, Inoichi, Chouza and Shikaku almost begged me to take the place."

"We'll fix it right now. Anko, I think it's already clear that you'll be carrying Naruto."

The Tokubetsu Jounin only smiled in a disturbingly familiar way and added. "Do not worry Hokage-sama, I assure you that the little foxy face will be in good hands . Now which other brats should I pick up?"

 _'Why do I've the feeling I'm going to regret this?'_ Thought Hiruzen with a sweatdrop along many of the Jounin in the room.

"Ok, who is next. Aoba?"

 **xXx**

Following the arrival of Iruka Umino to the class, any and all tussles that had been taking place prior were quickly suppressed and all students scattered around the room retired to their determination and pure strength of will, Sakura had managed to win her place beside Sasuke from the other girls, mostly for the fact that she was already in the seat beside him by the time their academy instructor came around much to Ino's displeasure who ended up seated two rows behind.

"From this day forward, all of you are officially recognized as shinobi of Konohagakure no Sato," Iruka began with a smile on his face and clipboard in hand as he looked around at all the expectant faces in his class. "As such, the tasks, trials and responsibilities of a shinobi have now been placed upon your shoulders, and you will all be expected to carry out missions to the best of your abilities for both your home and for your comrades. To get here you have faced great tests and hardships, but know that all of that was just the beginning. From here on out things are only going to get tougher and the trials, more difficult."

Iruka beamed up at his students. "Now you are only Genin; first level ninja. As with every other year all of you will be grouped into three-man squads, each of which will be led by a Jonin; an elite ninja. The Jonin assigned to your team will become both your squad leader and your new teacher. You will follow your sensei's instructions to the latter in order to successfully complete any and all missions given. I wish you all the best for your future as shinobi and kunoichi of our village." He gave his speech a brief moment of pause to allow all the information to sink in, before raising the clipboard he was holding up and clearing his throat, "I will begin announcing the squads that will be formed for the duration of your career as Genin."

This statement immediately had everyone's attention locked onto him.

One by one, name by name, the teams were listed off of Iruka's clipboard as the man went over the sheet provided to him by the Third. The Chūnin had something of a satisfied grin on his face as he announced each name in turn, with each announcement accompanied by either an affirmative 'yes', a groan of dismay, or a small whoop of delight. His smile seemed to grow in conjunction with every groan he was able to pick up, so it was safe to say that the scar-faced man was enjoying his position as God over his soon to be former instilled the belief in Iruka that the next trials his class was sure to face would be their next, greatest challenge, one he was looking forward to seeing the results homeroom teacher than arrived at the next set of names,

"Team 7 will be Idate Morino, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke. Your instructor will be Hatake Kakashi."

Thta statement brought multiple reactions.

"Cha!" Sakura cheered, before turning in her seat and giving Ino the 'V' sign, "Take that, Ino-pig!"

The blonde haired girl with blue eyes and wearing the purple uniform glared back with her teeth bared, "Lucky call. How in the world did you end up on that team?"

"Don't know," Sakura replied smugly while shrugging. "The power of love? It is the strongest force in the universe. I'll let you think on it a little."

After seeing her rival attempt to bore a hole into her with her glare, the pink haired girl then turned her attention to the stoic as ever Uchiha and sided up a little bit closer to him. "We're on the same squad. Isn't that great, Sasuke-kun?"

"Hmph…" the boy grunted back. _'Why me? At least the Hyūga doesn't even speaks.'_

"HAHAHA!" Laughed Kiba from his seat while pointing towards his fellow brown-haired boy who was just groaning. "I swear, that's karma, that's just karma."

"I couldn't agree much more." Added Naruto barely holding back a snicker. _'At least I'm off the hook now, I can't imagine if I were the poor bastard in that team.'_

"Laugh all you like Dog-Breath, laugh all you like," mumbled Idate. "One of these days I'll..."

"Next, Team 8 will be consisting of Hyūga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Your instructor and team leader is Yūhi Kurenai," Iruka said loud enough for the above three to hear, looking up to see the squad listed nod or smirk in acknowledgement. He then moved on, "Because Team 9 is being used for a different team we needed to move on to the next number. Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji, you three are on Team 10 and your Jonin instructor is Sarutobi Asuma."

Ino groaned and slammed her head on her desk. Yakumo, who was sitting beside her and waiting for the next assignment, looked toward her in surprise. "Are you okay, Ino-san?"

"I'm fine," the girl groaned back, her voice muffled by her face being pressed into her desk.

"And finally, Team 11 will be formed by Naruto Uzumaki, Yakumo Kurama and...Sai. Your Jonin-sensei is Anko Mitarashi." Finished the scarred chūnin. That brought more reactions from the classroom.

"And that's it for team assignments," Iruka concluded, folding his clipboard under his arm and clicking his pen, "You will be meeting your Jonin instructors here after lunch. Until then I suggest you all get together with your teammates, get to know them and… well… have fun. Good luck to all of you." With that sorted, Iruka took one last look at the class for that hour before turning heel and taking his leave.

Once the door closed behind him, students left and right started to move, either heading on over to meet up with their teammates or leaving individually.

Naruto just sighed as he narrowed his eyes. He should had known, but at least he had his best friend on the team and someone skilled, he doubted that the old mummy had sent someone incompetent but there was always a first time. With those thoughts in mind he headed for the line where the brunette was sitting, in the distance the pale and smiling silhouette of Sai was also approaching.

 _'Well, at least I will not have to step up to introduce it.'_ Thought the redhead.

"Well, I guess we're a team now." He started to break the ice. "Your name is Sai, isn't it?" He asked the black haired boy. _'Please get the message, get the message.'_

"Yes." Cheerfully replied Sai giving another fo his fake smiles, if Yakumo noticed it, she didn't commented about it.

"I do not remember you from this class."Continued Yakumo. "Were you the four years here and also one of the 'Transfered'?"

"He was." Answered Naruto. "I remember most of the names in that list. His was among the last ones."

Yakumo was satisfied by the moment and suggested that they were to eat something before the arrival of their instructor, to which Naruto and Sai nodded. A pity for the redhead that Yakumo did not have in mind going to eat Ramen.

On the way they found the newly formed teams 8 and 10 who were preparing to enter one of the restaurants served by the Akimichi clan and ended up joining them. The nine children sat down at one of the longest tables and settled each to their liking.

"Man, I cannot believe we made it." Kiba commented before taking a quick look at the inside of the menu.

"Said that to me." Naruto commented as he read the menu at the same time disappointing for the absence of his favorite dish. 'Well, I suppose this meat might not taste bad.' The redhead thought as he scanned an aperitif.

"These six years were quite fruitful," added Shino who, unlike his two ex-comrades, was not picking the menu and preferred to stay on the edge.

"Anyway, I'm just sure things will be more problematic now." Said Shikamaru leaning his head in his arms, "Especially with Ino now on our team."

"What's that supposed to mean, your lazy ass?" Asked the blonde who also did not seem very enthusiastic about sharing her team with Nara and Akimichi.

"I told you." Naruto murmured again towards them gaining glare from the Yamanaka.

"Anyway, does anyone know anything about our instructors?" Kiba asked. As far as I remembered, they were two women and one man, but there was also another, but that was Team 7, which apparently seemed to be absent at the time.

"K-kurenai-sensei u-used to w-watch m-m-e during the Academy." Added Hinata from her seat. Naruto noted that Yakumo seemed to flinch again when hearing that name and narrowed his eyes. He definitely had to learn about that.

"Asuma Sarutobi is the son of the Sandaime." He said rubbing his hand. "Don't know much about him, but if he is anything like the old man, then you're quite lucky to have him as your Jounin-sensei." He finished before ording tha meat dish to a nearby waitress.

"And what about the one assigned to you or Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked to what the redhead shrugged. "No idea, the one assigned to us [Team 11] does not ring a bell to me, but that of Team 7, a little. I think I've heard that name before."

"And now that we talk about Team 7. Why will not they have met us?" Chouji asked before his order came and began to devour her.

The others shrugged.

"The bastard is not the most social person we can say." Kiba commented what almost caused a blow by Ino that ended up falling on Shikamaru.

"What is your problem, your troublesome woman?" Protested Shikamaru.

Naruto sighed. _'Some things will never change.'_ Then he realized that Sai was drawing a Shikamaru being hit again and raised an eyebrow. _'And others, it seems that I will have to get used to it.'_

 **xXx**

(Twenty Minutes Later.)

When the bell sounded and all the newly graduated Genin filed back into their soon to be former homeroom, they found a group of uniformed adults already there and waiting for them. Doing the logical thing, Team 11 decided to stick together for the upcoming procedure so upon finding their own row at the side of the room, sat in the usual manner prior to their recess hour and waited to be introduced to their sensei. Teams 8 and 10 did the same and where actually quite surprised to see that Team 7 had remained there and was already sitting in their own row.

Idate looked annoyed, quite annoyed and they noticed that many stares where directed at him and Sasuke, especially from the former fangirls who looked lke they wanted to murder somebody.

"Hmm," Said Naruto while tlding his head a little. "I wonder what could'd happened here."

The rest shrugged and took their seats.

"I hope you all had a good break," Iruka began with a smile as he directed everyone's attention to the shinobi behind him, "Because it's time to get down to business. The men and women you see standing before you are going to be your Jonin instructors for the duration of your tenure as Genin. They will be the ones who will be leading your team on missions and overseeing your training as a group, so make sure to work hard, study hard, and listen well."

With that said and done, each of the Jonin captains at the front of the classroom then stepped forward one after the other and began taking teams away by the number they were assigned.

"Team 8, with me please." A fair-skinned woman of slender build,long black untamed hair reaching her upper back, and very unique crimson-coloured eyes. She was wearing a red mesh armour blouse with only the right sleeve visible with a series of bandage-like broad with a rose thorn pattern.

Kiba, Hinata and Shino nodded before following the woman and disappearing through the door.

Asuma stepped next, but before he could even said anyting a black ball suddenly came flying true the window. It exploded in a shower of confetti and smoke. When it cleared, a woman with a tam trench coat and nothing much else, stood in front of a banner. The banner read 'The Sexy and Deadly Sensei of Team Eleven; ANKO MITARASHI!'

She had a dango stick in her mouth and a wicked smile on her face.

The class was in shock as this woman stood proudly in front her banner. Some of the boys were gawking at her mostly because of how she was dressed. After a few seconds, Iruka appeared from behind the banner. He didn't look very happy with the woman in front of him.

"Why do you do this every time?" Iruka asked annoyed.

"What flew up your butt and died? I'm just here to pick up my team." Anko said.

"But you are not even at the right time." Snaped Iruka. "We were on Team 10."

Anko rubbed the back of her neck with a sheepish expression. One that most of the graduates found extremely familiar.

"Troublesome." Yawned Shikamaru. "She is an older, female version of Naruto. Good luck, you really are going to need it." The statemente provoked a few snickers from the classroom and even from Asuma while said redhead merely found the comparison amusing and threw a better glance towarsd his new instructor.

"Well, well, continue." Huffed Anko before sitting in the teacher's stool and putting her legs above the desk much to the scarred chuunin annoyance. Meanwhile, Asuma just sighed before motioning for Team Ten to follow him, which they did while waving at the remaining students which consisted of Team 11 and oddly enough, Team 7.

"Okay, okay. Team 11,catch this!" Said Anko while jumping before throwing three kunai's towards her three assignments. The blades, never intended to hitt them ended up being nailed on the wood of their desk. The three genin noticed the pieces of paper attatched to the hiltt.

"Meet me in that direction!, don't be late!" Said Anko before dissapearing in a swirl of leaves.

 _'Seal-less Shunshin no Jutsu (Body-Flicker Technique)?'_ Thought Naruto before shrugging and reading the direction written on the sheet.

"Oh, I know that place." Commented Yakumo before stadning up and motioning to her two male teammmates to follow her which they did until they dissapeared through the door and left a very confusssed Team 7 behind with Iruka as their only companion.

"Umm… Iruka-sensei… what about our team leader? Isn't he here yet?" She hoped he was late because if he wasn't and she was about to learn that they had in fact failed as a squad she was going to cry. Iruka sweatdropped and looked down at his clipboard,

"Uhh… you guys have Hatake Kakashi as your instructor, right?" He looked up and saw three affirmative nods. He then smiled in amusement, "Yeah, you're going to be waiting here for a while."

Mouths opening to gape, Idate and Sakura looked like they were about to mount some sort of complaint until they saw the Chūnin turn tail and grip the frame of the entrance. He turned and grinned back at them,

"I've got a lot of work to do now, so I gotta go. Good luck you guys." He then slid the door shut, leaving behind two very perplexed kids and one who was still in a state of complete composure.

Sasuke just hoped that everyone would forget about the embarasing incident of earlier. Perhaps he didn't cared that much about his social reputation but even he had his limits. Hopefully, none would remember also the rumor of the fallen Uchiha patriarch playing for the other team with the Shodai Hokage, that would be desastrous for him.

Nah, It wasn't like someone had rediscovered that ancient rumor and was going to spread it again, right?

 _'Why am I shuddering so suddenly?'_ Thought Sasuke.

 **xXx**

(Location: Training Ground 44 Aka "The Forest of Death")

It was just afternoon when the newly formed Team Eleven managed to get to the location written on the paper. After practically crossing the whole village, the training camps and much more, they met with their destiny.

A huge fence with many warning signs was waiting there. On the fence you could see a door of the same size that showed the entrance to what was behind the fence. A huge dark forest stretching far away. Naruto whistled as he contemplated the immensity of the training camp.

"Wow, this place looks awesome." He commented after a few seconds.

"It's the Training Ground Number Forty-Four." Added Yakumo while narrowing her brown eyes at the sight. "However, it is commonly known as the Shi no Mori (Forest of Death)."

"Charming" Drily commented Naruto while in truth he was mentally drooling at the sight. He could not wait to take a walk around that place, but before that, he heard a rather familiar sound, as if something metallic was crossing the air in its direction and ...

"Move!" He screamed suddenly before dodging a well-directed wave of kunai. Yakumo did the same thing while Sai quickly unpacked the tantō that he had hidden in a sheath behind his jacket. The redhead mentally cursed but then he noticed that the blade had a tip.

 _'He has good reflexes and apparently did his homework,'_ thought the jinchūriki, _'To use a tant_ ō _without the tip means today to shout that you are from the Foundation.'_ He had landed squatting and had his right hand right where Guren was sealed, he was ready to be able to deflect the next wave of projectiles. _' Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment)'_ Naruto detected a somewhat large signature hidden among the branches of one of the forest trees and cautiously drew a shuriken from his pouch before throwing it in that direction.

 _'I will not reveal my Wind Release, or at least not yet.'_

As expected, Anko appeared just above the fence with a Dango stick in one hand. "Not bad for some wet behind the ears graduates." She remarked while that same grin adorned her face. With a single jump she ended up landing in front of the three, who had already joined but still remain attentive to any movements.

"Well, I like those positions." Continued the Tokubetsu Jounin, "A shinobi must always be alert, but relax, I will not attack you, for now." She added while finishing her dango.

Naruto saw out of the corner of his eye as both Yakumo and Sai lowered their guard although he noticed that the second only changed posture, as if he planned to extract something more, this time from the backpack on his back.

"Anyway, let's move on to the introductions so we can get it over with."

Yakumo holds up his hand. "What do you mean?"

"Pff, just get in and say your names, likes, dislikes, plans for the future and things like that." Anko said.

"Why do not you go first? Of the four, at least we know each other a little the three of us." The redhead replied as he laid a hand on his hip brushing lightly against Guren's seal.

"That's true, whatever: the name is Anko Mitarashi, Tokubetsu Jōnin in Interrogation and Assassination. I like dango, snakes, blood, and a little 'fun.' "The last thing was said in a suggestive way." Too many things, so many that I feel lazy to say them. Interests? Probably frighten away those who annoy me. Plans for the future? Neh, I never think about that. "

 _'It's that how normal people act?'_ Sai thought.

 _'Just when I thought that a best friend with problems in the head was enough ...'_ Yakumo thought.

 _'I'm hungry.'_ Mentally commented Naruto while seeing how the stick of dango was consumed.

Anko noticed his lost looks and smirked . "Wow, wow, having mischievous thoughts about me so soon?, They start much more earlier these days."

With the exception of Sai, the Genin felt as slightly reddened, Naruto in particular covered his face to avoid being seen as a tomato, there were times when he cursed his natural hair color.

"Whatever, it's your turn. You start Whiskers." Anko said pointing to Naruto who removed his hand from his face feeling the blush disappearing.

"Okay, whatever, my name is Naruto Uzumaki [Senju]. Last member of the Uzumaki Clan in Konoha [And Jinchūriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune]. I like ramen, seals, rare stuff and salamanders. I dislike the three minutes that it takes for ramen to finish up and bigoted people. Interests? Fūinjutsu, Kenjutsu, Ninjutsu, Pranks, [Stalk people, blowing up stuff, cutting stuff], researching, hanging out with [Salamanders] my friends. Plans for the future? Don't know, don't care." Said Naruto.

 _'Yep, let's see if I hit another goldmine'_ Thought Anko before nodding and pointing to Yakumo.

"I'am Yakumo Kurama. I like my friends, my family, Genjutsu and sweets. My dislikes are Kurenai Yūhi and Idō. My interests include tea ceremonies, learning Genjutsu and painting." She said.

 _'The girl that Nai-chan let down in the past. Let's see what can I do with her.'_ Anko smirked at her before pointing at Sai.

"I'm Sai. I like to train, draw, and protect Konoha. I dislike traitors. As for hobbies I paint and draw. As for dreams…..I guess I really don't have one. " Said the Foundation meber with his usual blank face, this time with the creepy fake smile. Naruto sweatdropped.

 _'Please tell me that Shin didn't wrote that thing.'_

Anko did not lose her smirk but inside she narrowed her eyes. _'Well, whatever helps him sleep at night.'_ But she shrugged.

"Well, apparently I have a blank face creep, a princess with a blacklist and a legendary oddball. Well, I've worked with worse." The three glared at her. "Anyway, let's move straight to the root of the matter and to the real test."

Said raised his hand. "But Mitarashi-sensei, we already pased the exam."

"Casper has a point Anko-sensei." Nodded Naruto while Yakumo semeed to agree too.

"Pff." Anko snorted. "If you seriously thought that just knowing three E-ranked techniques makes one a Genin from Konoha, then you really are dense."Then she added. "The purpose of these examinations is to determine candidates to become Genin, of which the ones who approved, only the third part retains their Hitai-Ate, the rest is sent back to the Academy."

Anko wanted to have a camera to capture the expressions of shock that the three now showed.

 _'Another year at the Academy? Hell no!'_

 _'Uncle Unkai would never let me hear the end of it!'_

 _'Danzō-sama mentioned it a few times, it seems that Uzumaki-san fell asleep during that explanation.'_

"Well, I see you were not expecting this, and you know what's a better?" Continued the Tokubetsu Jounin while she licked her lips. "The test that will determine your status as Genin begins, now!"

Three gulps were heard in front of her, which provoked her bloodthirsty grin to appear again.

"I told you before, a shinobi should always be prepared for everything."

 _'Unpreparedness is one's greatest enemy.'_ Remembered Naruto from one of the scrolls he had picked up in the Salamander Realm and were stored in his hideout. It seemed that in those same moments, he would have to adopt that phrase as well.

 _'Well then, bring it on.'_

* * *

 **A/N:** **Okay, I've taken the liberty to slightly modify the ratings given for the Shinobi rank types. The reason? Simple clarification and aesthetics.**

 **The six classifications shown in Cannon turn out to be this in Whirpool's Heir:**

 **E-Rank** **= Academy Level. (Example: Konohamaru Sarutobi.)*Currently***

 **E+ Rank** **= High Academy Level. (Example: Sakura Haruno.)*Currently***

 **D-Rank = Genin Level. (Example: Ino Yamanaka.)*Currently***

 **D+ Rank = High Genin Level. (Example: Kiba Inuzuka.)*Currently***

 **C-Rank = Chūnin Level. (Example:Sasuke Uchiha.)*Currently***

 **C+ Rank = High Chūnin Level. (Example: Mizuki.)*Currently***

 **B-Rank = Very High Chūnin Level. (Example: Sai.)*Currently***

 **B+ Rank = Jōnin Level. (Example: Asuma Sarutobi.)*Currently***

 **A - A+ Rank = High Jōnin Level. (Example: Kakashi Hatake.)*Currently***

 **S-Rank = Very High Jōnin Level. (Example: Kakuzu.)*Currently***

 **S+ Rank = Kage Level. (Example: Jiraiya.)*Currently***

 **SS-Rank = High Kage Level. (Example: Mū.)*When he was alive.***

 **SS+ Rank = Very High Kage Level. (Example: Tobirama Senju.)*Same***

 **SSS-Rank = God of Shinobi Level. (Example: Hashirama Senju.)*Same***

 *** Extra Ranks (Just for fun. Do not take them seriously. Or a least in this story, not.) ***

 **SSS+ Rank = High God of the Shinobi Level. (Example: Rinnegan + Mokuton Madara.)*Only in Cannon.***

 **X-Rank = Outer Level. (Example: Jūbi.)*Same***

 **X+ Rank = High Outer Level. (Example: Jūbi Jinchūriki Obito.)*Same***

 **XX - XX+ Rank = Very High Outer Level. (Example: Toneri Ōtsutsuki.)*Same***

 **XXX-Rank = Extreme Ultimate Level. (Example: Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.)*Same***

* * *

 **A/N #2:** **Uff, I don't know how I managed to write all this but good. Ignoring the power guide described above , I'm somewhat satisfied with this chapter. We have already seen a little more of the scope of the skills of our protagonist and in the next chapter we will see much more deeply in which of levels he currently is (Do not get funny ideas, he is far from being an A-rank shinobi and much less an S one.) We have also seen a little more of his social situation, his current thoughts about his situation as both citizen of Konoha and container of Kurama.**

 **Thanks to all those who have left their review and added this story to favorites or to follow.**

 **-Ezequiel Kirishiki- (04/06/17)**

* * *

 **Next:** **[A Fox/Salamander.] [An Illusionist.] [And a Root] vs [A Serpent.]**


	6. Prey and Predator

**A/N: ****Horror, I had to edit this thing at least about four times. The bad thing about typing on a phone is that you do not have an orthographic corrector and the keyboard trolleys you numerous times, anyway, I hope there are not so many errors at the moment.**

* * *

 **Disclaimer:** **I don't own** **or anything related with both the Anime and Manga, all those are the property of his author (Masashi Kishimoto) and I'm only playing with the sandbox that he created.**

* * *

 **Whirlpool's Heir.**

 **Arc One:** **"The Foxface (Root) Genin."**

 **Chapter Four:** **[Fox/Salamander] [Illusory Cloud/Flower] [Detatched Root] vs [Serpent].**

* * *

 **Key:**

"Voice"

 _'Thinking'_

"Summoning/Jutsu!"

 **"Summon/Bijū talking"**

 ** _'Summon/Bijū_** ** _thinking'_**

[Inner Person]

 **[Salamander Language]**

* * *

(Location: Training Ground #44.)

Sometimes Naruto stopped thinking for a moment about the Foundation. He would let his mind wander and his thoughts try to mold themselves into a different and almost alien form for him. Since his four year birthday, his memories were much clearer of what had happened to him. His life had been a vortex of blood and violence, typical things of the Shinobi World that were rarely experienced by people at that age, but by normal people of course.

He never was considered normal. Carrier of an almost extinct bloodline since birth as well as of the very same container of the mightiest of the Tailed Beasts where enough prove for that.

Protected by the Third Fire Shadow since that moment and growing up with the knowledge of part of his heritage, he was dragged in a confused time to a branch of shadows, where he had been instructed, sometimes in a brutal way, how to defend himself, how to fight and deceive, among other things.

Having had that conditioning at an early age had been truly useful, but not indispensable over time.

Those ramblings ceased after a few minutes, and his eyes loosed again the glow they had temporarily gained during that time, only to end up falling in the fox-like gaze as usual or perhaps mere effects of conditioning, the redhead was unaware of which one was, but was similarly satisfied.

Being like that was among the symptoms of conditioning, and Naruto rarely felt any curiosity about the notion. During his short life, Naruto had concentrated his warlike philosophy on the art of adaptation and assimilation.

 _"Y'know me Yakumo-chan, I like to take pages from other people's books, especially from the ones I'd already defeated in the past."_

Although the redhead was far from knowing the judgment that Hiruzen had emitted on him and his abilities, he was in perfect accord with his kinesthetic learning and his pseudo-eidetic memory.

He liked to analyze the movements of his opponents and find a way to replicate and use them for himself, but only if he managed to defeat them. Needless to say, with the number of successes he had collected since his very early career, several techniques and lessons had gone to his brain. The obvious exceptions were none other than the Uzumaki-Ryū, the Kongo Fūsa and the numerous Fūinjutsu and derivates he had learned on his own among the sealed remnants of his clan.

But his training in Shape and Nature Transformation had been a very different thing. To have the supervision of a bespectacled sadist but almost an expert in the subject had served. Outside of those fields, his other skills had been developed by him on the basis of his Philosophy of Assimilation & Adaptation. Stealth, agility, speed and other things indispensable for a true shinobi.

The weapons usage had not been any problem for him. His Shurikenjutsu had been changing over time and for the better. Kunai and shuriken? Years of training with those basic tools and against several excellent users had borne fruit. Senbon? The needles were more medical tools than weapons, that required some precision and mastery to be properly used, Naruto preferred them for its secrecy and especially as a memento of that time in which a renegade shinobi of Amegakure accidentally discovered the Salamander's Realm just when the redhead was visiting.

The poor man, who barely had skills vaguely superior to those of an average Genin didn't have a chance in hell. A lot less against the multiple abilities of the agent of the Foundation.

The numerous scrolls found there and the teachings of the amphibians had also contributed their grain of sand in his prowess. The salamanders were expert sensors and crafty predators, but with very poor hygiene. The Kagura Shingan had been mastered under the tutelage of some of the Pepper-Class salamanders as well as some of his Suiton techniques. It could be said that he had had three tutors throughout his career with the exception of himself: The old one-eyed mummy, the bespectacled and sadistic swordsman and the dozens of social poisonous and overgrown amphibians that were bound to him through the contract he had signed when he was seven.

He had learned what he considered enough for someone of his caliber, but he knew it would never be enough, because he could always make a mistake. Just like in those moments.

 _'Pff, I'm glad Dokūzetsu is not here. He would not stop recriminating me about proper preparation and predisposition. '_ Naruto thought as he remembered the favorite phrase of Amegakure's legendary shinobi that was constantly being repeated by his own personal summon whom he rarely invoked. Said amphibian possessed a much greater addition to Ramen than his own one, and the redhead feared for his wallet when he summoned him.

"Then what will my little brats bare going to choose?" Anko asked as she placed her hands on her waist. "Would they risk taking my exam only to fail shamefully and be sent to the Academy for another year? Or are they going to resign themselves to their short, pitiful future? Find it next wee-!"

"We'll take it!" Naruto replied before placing his hands on the mouths of his two companions, while his patronized look directed them more or less transmitted the following: _'Open the damn mouth and I swear I'll use you as kunai-throwing practice log.'_ [Or I'll give you two to Sanshouo as a light lunch while I record it]

Sai remembered how good was the redhead's aim, especially when he intended to maim or kill the target. Which he usually did, when he wasn't tempted to 'play' and collect some data.

"That's great." Commented the purple-haired jounin before motioning the three genin to follow her after she opened the Training Ground's gate. Naruto nodded to the other two and followed Anko through the forest whit Yakumo and Sai closely behind, the former closed the gate after he had crossed. There was a reason why it was closed in the first place after all.

The trio continued to follow their new instructor throught the forest for some minutes, in which they saw some characteristics of the Ground. Large, monstrous vegetation was among the first things, closely followed by equally unsealed animals.

Yakumo swore that she had seen a large dead lizard being dragged to a hole beneath dome dead leaves and shuddered thinking about the possible predator hidden in the hole

Despite being unnerved, a perk from his Root training, Sai was in a complete alert. He was by no means a sensor-type like Fū Yamanaka or Naruto Uzumaki but even him was able to detect the hostile atmosphere in the ambient. He had some Sumi Bunshin (Ink Clones) prepared just in case things went wrong and the hand at his tantõ, ready to use the short blade against a possible threat.

Meanwhile, Naruto walked with his hands in his pockets, one of them forming his signature hand-seal allowing the redhead to maintain the Kagura Shingan while walking. To say that he was worried was a mistake. Despite detecting several signatures with hostile intent, he was confident enough that they barely posed a threat. He didn't have any heavy equipment with him with the exception of Guren and some air items such as kunai and shuriken but he wasn't by any means deprived of external sources.

The only one from the group who was acting normally was Anko, who just walked some meters ahead of them like she was in her home (And Yakumo was already suspecting that it really was). The three genin and jounin stopped their walk when they arrived a small clearing with some cut logs that served as seats.

Anko occupied that highest one while the other three seated in the largest. Sai at the left side, Yakumo at the right and Naruto in the middle. The redhead clasped his hands together while the brunette just brushed her braid and the pale boy smiled again.

 _'My, my, aren't they the most expressive brats?'_ Thought Anko with a grin. When she finished the test, she was sure that the three were going to be terrified, or if she was VERY lucky, at least two of the three would be excited.

"OK, listen up!" She ordered savoring the moment when the three looked at her awaiting orders. She was looking forward to being used to that reaction, but first, she needed to see if they passed. "This is the part when I'm supposed to scare you with the test and you fail. Every jounin handles this part with their owns methods and I'm not the black sheep so don't expect me to be a chocolate box, got it?"

She was the three nod and continued. "This is the Training Ground #44, also known as the 'Forest of Death' just like Witch over there said." Anko pointed at Yakumo who glared at her for the newfound nickname which provoked a snort from Naruto.

"As you may have noticed on the way through here, it doesn't have that cute nickname just by joke." Continued Anko clasping her hands together with a serious expression now. "It is filled with all sorts of death. Giant carnivorous animals and plants, venomous and vicious creatures that would love to chew you to death and many other horrors that I'm not going to tell you because it will ruin the surprise."

She received three glares in return, which made her shrug.

"Ano, Anko-sensei?" Asked Yakumo raising her hand. "It's there any real possibility of we dying here?"

"Good question Witchy," Replied Anko. "Nah, of course not." That answer made Yakumo to visibly relax. "Only some major injuries and trauma, nothing that a good visit to the hospital can't fix." The brown-eyed girl was now visibly green.

The real deal was that Anko said that with a completely straight face, which made almost impossible to tell if she was joking or not.

Naruto just decided that he now liked the woman.

 _'Well, at least I can now see why Shikamaru said that she was an older, female version of myself.'_ Though the redhead while still maintaining his Mind's Eye. No signatures could be detected nearby, so the clearing was a safe-zone, for the moment. But what really interested him was the famous test that they needed to pass. There was no way in hell that he was going to return to the Academy. Four years there where more than enough for him, he really didn't want another to the mix. He watched with amused interest how Anko replied Yakumo and finally decided to ask himself.

"Ok, Dango-sensei, could you please tell us about the test?" Naruto asked while noticing the other three stares directed at him.

If possible, Anko's grin grew wide

"My, don't worry Whiskers. I'm getting to it." She answered before extracting something from her trench coat, which made the three genin fo adopt different battle stances. The purple-haired jounin rolled her pupil-less eyes.

"Oh seriously, I'm not going to attack you." 'Not yet, anyways' She said before revealing a small scroll in her left hand. "This is the key to your pass, " She explained, "There are at least twenty of them hidden until two miles of diameter. Your objective's to bring at least ten with you before the sun goes down and believe me, you don't want to be here when that happens." She finished with a toothy grin.

"Ten?" Counted Yakumo with a raising eyebrow. "But we are three, there is no way that we can bring ten each one."

"Ohh, better watch out, Witchy here knows to count." Commented Anko with more sarcasm than usual ignoring the dirty look that the Kurama heiress threw her.

"That means that one is going to fail. It's a competence between us." Reasoned Sai dominating the art in which Root Pawns where experts: Listening Orders.

"A cookie for Casper!" Replied Anko answering the question that the three genin where thinking

"Ok. Grab the scrolls, survive the fucking Horror Forest and return here before the twilight in one piece." Commented Naruto rolling his eyes. Nothing particularly difficult, or at least for him.

"In a nutshell, yes," Anko answered before doing some hand seals and biting her thumb. "But you also need to watch out for these ones. Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!" She said before slamming her hand to the ground.

A cloud of smoke envolved the area around her hand and dispelled revealing a large, brown with black markings snake who opened it's maw revealing large jaws which protubed a purple-like liquid which was awfully familiar to Naruto: Poison.

Ok, apparently, their new sensei had the Hebi Contract and knew how to use it. Said sensei just grinned in another awfully familiar way and announced.

"Let's begin!"

The serpent slithered towards them with the menacing maw still open and lunged forward, only to meet Sai's sandal which kicked the reptile off much to its rage. The serpent turned back with the equivalent of a furious rage towards them while hissing.

"My, he is angry, and seeing that you can do just fine with one, I will send more, but don't worry. Most of the animals in the forest have a healthy respect towards them." Commented Anko before preparing to summon more snakes. But before she could even execute the first hand seal, Naruto threw a cannister from his pouch, when the paper ball touched the ground, a cloud of smoke began to envelop the area.

'A smoke bomb?' Thought Anko 'Clever, very clever. It's obvious that the three brats are going to take advantage of this to escape. Unfortunately for them, my pets rarely rely on their eyes to search for their preys.'

Just like she predicted. When the cloud dispelled, she was completely alone in the clearing, even the snake she had summoned had part ways. She took note of the three different footsteps and sighed.

"Haven't they seen a Horror Movie? One of the most obvious rules is to NOT separate from the group." Anko shook her head while doing the remaining hand seals and summoning four more serpents.

"Pursue them, and by Kami's sake, don't swallow them! I don't want shit with the Council, got it?" She ordered to her summons who just nodded before parting ways.

Anko sighed before taking a seat again in the highest log, then she realized something.

"Hey, where did my Dango went?"

 **xXx**

(Location: One Mile from the Clearing.)

Naruto finished the remains from the Dango before throwing the stick while still running. Throwing the Smoke Bomb and creating a useful escape distraction had been easy, using a seal-less Kawarimi to replace himself with one of the logs and grab the last brutally without being noticed by his new Jounin-sensei had been a less more difficult. Now, he was noticing that Anko's claims where real.

Apparently, most of the nearby chakra signatures took a sudden retreat when the signatures of TWO twelve foot snakes appeared, and were rushing towards him.

 _'They cannot be more skilled than two normal Pepper-Class salamanders'_ Thought Naruto remembering some of his spars with his summons in their realm. The redhead jumped and quickly channeled some of his chakra through his feet, which allowed him to attach himself to a nearby trunk.

Then, he saw the two snakes approaching through the grass before stopping dead in their tracks, the two reptiles raised their heads and stared at him while taking impulse before jumping with their maws open, ready to threw a venomous bite.

'They're fastrivaled'll give them that.' Thought Naruto before replacing himself with a log and extracting some senbon from his pouch and channelizing through that hand.

 _' Ninpō: Bari Danmaku (Ninja Art: Needle Barrage)'_ He thought before seeing how the chakra-powered needles shoot itself from his hand and stricken the snake coils causing some angered hisses before the two summons disappeared. However it was too soon to chant victory, and the snake that lunged from behind knew it.

Naruto unsealed Guren and deflected the incoming strike and striker, which where sent flying towards another trunk before dispelling.

 _'Well, at least I was not forced to use anything else'_ Thought the redhead before sealing away his favorite sword. _'I was barely trying to hide my Chakra Signature and who knows who could have been watching.'_

Danzō had warned him about the Sandaime's Tōmegane no Jutsu (Telescope Technique) and deemed necessary for him to learn Chakra Represory Techniques, which included the Meseigakure no Jutsu (Hiding with Camouflage Technique), which was later perfected when he began to train with the help of his summons. However, since his reserves where quite large, he had been forced to regulate them with the use of several Chakra Represory Seals which he changed at least every month and were a pain to draw in his skin and his multiple burns in the Tenketsu Points of his arms where prove enough of that.

He prayed that no Hyūga ever eyed his Chakra Network because he or she would be quite intrigued to find several gashes and burns on it. Mementos of the times when his Chakra Control was complete trash and he had burned himself while trying to use the Uzumaki-Ryū. [And after that run with the troublesome Explosion Corp member]

And thinking about that, Naruto retired some of the bandages that covered his arm and channeled some chakra to it. The result was a glowing mark instantly followed by a sharp pain that forced him to bit his tongue. Yep, those burns sure were taking their sweet time to heal.

Then, he noticed something white in a nearby bush. With a kunai in hand, he cautiously approached and much to his relief, he found something else.

One of those scrolls.

However, when he picked it, he noticed that something was wrong. chakra extension the lack of snake's presence in the are, there were still none other Chakra Signature with the exception of his own.

'It looks like the animals avoid this part of the forest, but why would they?' He thought before picking up the scroll and then noticing something in a nearby puddle. Oxigen bubbles on the surface.

 _' Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Divine Entertainment)'_ Thought the redhead focusing more chakra on his sensing technique. However, after seeing what was lying in the puddle and was apparently aware of his presence, he could only say something.

"Oh, crap" Muttered Naruto before rolling at his left seeing how a water column rose over the puddle. It was a large insectoid-like creature with multiple tiny legs that ended in sharp hooks that looked more than proficient to cut flesh to shreds. Two long sharp coils over his head began to move detecting a nearby prey, but when the two pincer-like jaws appeared, Naruto recognized what was it.

"Tch, a fucking ōmukade (Giant Centipede)" Muttered the redhead replacing himself with a log before the head of the monstrous centipede tried to catch him, destroying the log effortlessly. The six crimson eyes of the arthropod stared at him while opening once again its pincer-like jaws.

Naruto didn't wait for too much and did some hand-seals deciding to drop the kunai, whose blade could barely scratch the armor of the centipede.

'Well, if external damage attacks are not useful with that armor, let's see how it deals with internal ones. Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Release: Wild Water Wave)' Finished Naruto before opening his mouth and shooting a concentrated blast of water that met head on the arthropod who cried in pain feeling the power behind the torrent.

Naruto finished the Jutsu and did a single hand-seal focusing more on the water of the puddle. "Suiton: Suigadan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Fang Bullet Technique)!" He said before a water drill rose from the puddle and launched itself at the left side of the centipede tearing throught the armor.

The monstrous creature cried in pain and twisted it's body unintentionally breaking it but releasing his superior form which crawled through the ground intending to catch the redhead from behind. When it's jaws closed through the form of another log the wind was too late for the centipede.

"Uzumaki-Ryū: Kusanagi no Jutsu (Whirpool-Style: Grass-Mowing Technique)!" Said Naruto some meters behind with Guren unsealed and covered with a layer of chakra in the middle of a slash. The layer extended forward in the form of a curve ethereal blade and cut right through the face of the centipede who could only emit one last cry before felling over, completely dead when the chakra-extension severed the nerves

Naruto panted a little before releasing the chakra flow of his blade. The centipede was apparently the big fish of the area, and it wasn't even at the level of a Genin. So that meant that he was probably safe from being pursued by a bigger creature.

With Guren still on his grip, he approached the remains of the animal and inspected them. While in the Foundation he was rarely sent to other places, one of the few he was familiar was the Great Forest that surrounded Kusagakure in the Land of the Grass. It was a dense vegetation that easily rivalled or even overcame the Training Ground.

Naruto remembered that time when he killed an ANBU from said village in those woods, well 'killed'. He only had damaged the Tenketsu Points of his leg and left him in the bushes, only to see how a pair of centipedes of at least three-meters enjoyed their dinner with him. He almost felt sorry for the bastard, almost.

 _'Sigh, what a gruesome death'_ Thought the redhead also remembering when he was sent to retrieve the corpse, or at least what was left of him. The head was missing along with certain parts of the torso while the legs looked chewed and covered with burns, apparently, the poison was quite corrosive. The flak-jacket was ruined beyond recognition but fortunately, the scrolls secured on it were intact.

Throwing a last glance to the dead centipede, Naruto made a mental note to inspect the corpse later. Who knew what secrets could hold the predator? And if it wasn't the case, Sanshõuo or another one of his summons would gladly enjoy free dinner, even if it was equally poisonous.

Thinking about that. Naruto went through that specific chain of hand seals before bit his thumb and slamming his palm on the ground.

 _' Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)'_ He thought before the usual smoke cloud dissipated and revealed Sanshõuo's giant silhouette. The six-meters amphibian raised his head towards his summoner as a greeting.

 **["Sorry for disturbing you Sanshōuo, but I'm going to need the storage seal that I engraved on your side."]** Apologized Naruto before turning towards the giant salamander left side. Then, he channeled some chakra through his hand and a Storage Seal revealed itself glowing bright before emitting a cloud of smoke. The smoke dissipated and revealed a small metal box that landed on the floor.

Naruto opened it and began to extract some things from the inside: Blank paper sheets, prepared sealing and barrier tags, some ink vials and a brush. In a nutshell, intermediate sealing equipment.

Naruto rarely carried that in a scroll with him, especially when his chakra could trigger the seals and forcefully release the contained items which were among the reasons why he didn't have storage seals place in his own body as a tattoo. It was more prudent to improve his still shitty (By his standards) chakra control before he attempted to draw seals of that kind in his skin. He already suffered enough with the ones that helped to regulate and suck his chakra.

However, Naruto had discovered that the salamander's skin was more durable and that Fūinjutsu usage rarely affected his summons, so seeing that he could not afford the privilege of turning his own body into a living sealing scroll, he had to comfort with using some of his summons, like Sanshōuo, who despite having recently reached the Giant Pepper-Class status, still had a healthy length of six to seven meters.

Said amphibian merely let a grunt escape his massive mouth and waited for his summoner to seal again the box in his left side Storage Seal. Then, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

 **["Tch, I'm surprised that he didn't ask for food."]** Grunted the redhead before putting his newly acquired equipment inside his jacket. "Whatever, let's get out of here before..."

He didn't get to finish the last statement before he sensed three nearby presences slither in fast towards him. He didn't even felt the need to activate the Kagura Shingan to identify what they were and neither he wasted time waiting for them to appear.

Naruto jumped and crawled through the tree where he had landed equally channeling chakra through his feet and hands and jumped again showing off his acrobatic skills. Furious hisses could be heard below him as the summoned snakes trued to follow him but were eventually left behind when the redhead disappeared between the branches.

Just when they had thought that the trial was lost, a smoke bomb landed near them and exploded. But this time it wasn't ordinary smoke. The smell of pepper occupied the clearing along the cries from the enraged snakes.

Naruto, who was practically immune to the smell having been exposed to more toxic substances, looked amused from the branch where he was resting.

"Well? Look at that. There is a reason why none should upset a salamander, we can produce very nasty things when we are annoyed." Stated Naruto with a mock-grim expression, he had learned the hard way when he had first ventured to the Salamander Realm. Then, his expression changed onto a curious one.

"Hmm, wonder how are the other two doing? Should I check on them? Nah! Don't know about Creepy-san, but Yakumo-chan can take care of herself." Then he muttered. "There is a reason why even Jiji and Sekigan-sama told me to watch my distance from her after all."

 **xXx**

(With Yakumo.)

Being born with a weak body, Yakumo was considered helpless the most part of her childhood. She wasn't spoiled, her uncle had made sure that she didn't grow up pampered. Since her parents had died at a young age, she hardly had another figure in her life.

Born with a weak body, but a strong spirit. That was what meant the Bloodline that her clan carried since the forgotten times, the same one that she carried after almost fifty years. Her uncle and [That woman] had explained to her.

The Kekkei Genkai of the Kurama consisted of an ungodly amount of Inton Chakura (Yin Release Chakra) naturally produced by the user. Yin Release, the elemental affinity that reigned over imagination, Genjutsu was a product from said Release.

According to her uncle and some branch members, she had the potential of becoming an unrivaled Genjutsu mistress.

Such a concentrated amount of spiritual energy didn't come free at all. According to [That woman], Yōton Chakura (Yang Release Chakra) was dwarfed by it's contrapart to the point of being almost non-existant.

Since Chakra was the result from mixed Spiritual and Physical energy, it was logical that her body had too protruded problems on the physical side. If not for the fact that she had to endure several physical exercises that slightly managed to rise her scarce Yang reserves, she would be in a more terrible state.

And on top of that. Her bloodline was more a curse than a gift. Especially when she experimented on first hand just how much power it had.

Apparently, a concentrated amount of her Yin Chakra, being used in Genjutsu had the power to 'disturb' at an extreme level the chakra network of a target, fooling even the brain to convince it that the pain was real. The poor branch member had experienced a real burn when he volunteered himself.

[The woman] hadn't helped. She had tried to seal off her chakra, but she ended up bound to a tree, product of the tool she had found to channelize her apparent 'out of control' power. The very same Hokage had interfered and after some months, she had been sent to the Academy in a subprogram along with other unknown exceptions.

She had been warned that her Kekkei Genkai was dangerous, but no for the reasons she believed. Apparently, the excess of Inton in her system ended up backfiring against the user and strengthened the negative aspects of the mind until a certain point in which it ended up taking awareness by itself.

It was said that some people had demons in their heads, poisoning their thoughts and corrupting their sanities. However, she literally had one.

She almost felt resigned to spend the next four years as a loner, almost. Fortunately, she had been told by the Hokage that she wasn't alone and that she could try to befriend some of her new classmates.

But it seemed that fate had a knack for creating amusing situations. She actually ended up befriending someone, just not who both her caretakers nor the instructors expected.

Naruto Uzumaki. First Uzumaki-san, then Naruto-san and after three years, Naruto-kun was an odd kid, a statement agreed by 99% percent of Konoha's population when asked about their resident prank master. To be fair, she didn't get along at first with the red-haired feral boy who seemed to amuse himself creating pranks and reading without any care of the world.

However, she ended up noticing that he was interesting. And not only that were also similar to her. Cheerful and somewhat caring where his most notable traits, or at least the ones she apparently was the only one that could see them. She didn't count the shy Hyūga heiress because the girl had barely [Never] talked to him and frankly, she seemed afraid of her own shadow.

But anyway. How did she end up being friends with the redhead? Months of seating together and some talkings could do wonders, although her uncle had not been particularly pleased with her choice of a friend. In fact, it was well-known among the Kurama household that the Head of the branch Oxygen and the red-haired boy hated each other with a passion.

Now, four years later. Yakumo had seen that her efforts had borne fruit. She had managed to graduate, although not at the top of her class (That honor was reserved to Sakura Haruno.) but closely, managing to surpass the likes of Ino Yamanaka and Hinata Hyūga. She had also been put on a team with her best friend and an unknown but apparently friendly person (If you didn't take into account the creepy smile.). Their new instructor was a young woman that dressed in a suggestive way and looked ready to kill someone, and also had the particular ability of summoning Snakes of all things!

She cursed her still contra part stamina as she ran through the vegetation, but occasionally hearing the hisses at her back did some wonders, because it made her speed up her pace. Yakumo was smart, perhaps not booksmart like other hopeful kunoichi but a keen thinker. She knew that running away would not work forever. She needed to hide and plan an strategy. But first, a distraction was required.

How lucky, her specialty was basically revolved around that.

"Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique)" Muttered Yakumo after finishing the required hand seals. Almost instantly, three perfect copies of her appeared in front with three puff of smoke. Then, she sent them towards the snake. She doubted that her illusory copies would completely fool the reptiles but it was worth a try, and that wasn't counting the fact that now she had enough time to create a counter.

Making another chain of hand seals, Yakumo felt how her 'inner' channel began to leak her especial chakra outside her body and intensified when she finished the hand seals.

"Magen: Kokoni Arazu no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: False Surrounding Technique)" She called. Using her manipulation of the Yin Release, she changed the exterior of the clearing where she was located. Through a couple of more hand seals, she added a second layer to the illusion making herself almost undetectable. Hell, unless the snakes were particularly gifted with Genjutsu, they didn't have a chance in hell of finding her now.

Yakumo allowed a smile to grace her lips while extracting from her backpack her favorite tools: A painting brush and a canvas. Since her last reunion with [That woman], she had some help from her family developing a quite peculiar way of wielding Genjutsu: Painting.

As long as the target was at her range. He or she was vulnerable to her potent illusions which were controlled through the painting. According to her uncle, she would eventually learn how to use her power without needing the painting way, but for now, she was comfortable enough.

After some minutes, in which Yakumo saw how the three large snakes that had chased her earlier where busy trying to found her. Though luck that their sight and smell senses where practically useless as long they where trapped inside her illusion.

Yakumo wondered if that was how the Nidaime Mizukage, one of her idols felt when he released his wide-scale illusions over the battlefield. She had read in the Kurama's library how even the Uchiha and Kurama Clan heads of that time had struggled to combat the Genjutsu prowess of the Second Water Shadow, who practically sent them back to school.

However, the brown-eyed girl was more than aware that she needed to expand her skills. Her Genjutsu potential would only take her so far, she needed more, were and effective skills to back up her Illusions. She hoped that with her best friend and now teammate through could help her to that path.

But first, the test had to be passed.

Yakumo smiled at the painting she had created in some minutes, it depicted an identical clearing, however, the snakes on it were bound by some vines, and thinking about it, she did a single seal using one hand.

"Magen: Tsurubaku no Jutsu (Demonic Illusion: Vine Bondage Technique)" She muttered. Almost instantly, the snakes in the clearing saw how a group of vines emerged from the nearby bushes and began to bind them to the floor. Their hisses where more audible now as they tried to escape their vegetal prison.

Too bad for them that their prey had already escaped by the time they realized it was an illusion and could dispell themselves.

Meanwhile, Yakumo continued running through the forest before stopping at another clearing, this one with a few ponds around as well as what looked like a half-sunk rotten trunk with an equally rotten miasma coming from it.

 _'That smells worse than Naruto-kun's rotten pepper bombs'_ She though before grabbing a nearby stick to test the waters of that puddle. It wasn't that deep, so it wasn't probably inhabited by any large animals and...

Some meters ahead of her, a ripple of water emerged from the puddle only to reveal a medium-sized boar that looked troubled, the animal struggled on the water to continue floating while something was dragging him again to the bottom. The boar emerged again with a cry and desperately tried to swim towards the shore. Then, Yakumo noticed what creature dragging him.

More like creatures. They were at least twenty different flat-shaped things swimming in the water, their pale brown bodies looked covered with slime and mirth and only when Yakumo noticed their tiny mouths armed with diminutive teeth, she realized what they were.

Leeches. The pond was probably their den, that explained the rotten vegetation floating in the water as well as the log. The brown-eyed girl could only watch in morbid fascination how the boar was swarmed by the leeches as they began to suck him dry at the point that the animal's body began to sunk in the pond.

 _'That could be a great Genjutsu'_ She thought imagining the possibilities. An illusion where the victim was swarmed in a similar way and had the sensation of his or her chakra being sucked. Hell, was it even possible that she could really learn how to absorb chakra through her illusions? She knew that some Ninjutsu were able to do it.

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't realize that some of the leeches had apparently taken an interest in the unknown presence that was close to their den. Yakumo felt something slimy over her leg and let a shriek escape her mouth before she removed through an slap one of the brown worms that had managed to climb to her leg.

Yakumo cursed before taking a kunai from her pouch, the feeling of solid metal made her feel secure against other treats, although she preferred her brush.

She saw how many other leeches began to emerge from the pond, all crawling towards her with clear intentions. She grabbed the kunai more tightly as she thought of what to do.

 _'Calm down Yakumo, they are only leeches, it's not like they can poss a treat'_ She thought before creating a Bunshin to see how did they react. The illusionary copies approached and were immediately swarmed by the leeches who where attracted to it like moths to a flame. _'Yes! They bought it'_ Yakumo smiled.

However, her smile disappeared when she saw how her copy dissipated and her eyes narrowed when she saw how some of the leeches seemed a bit bigger and also, how a bluish glow surrounded their mouths.

Yakumo's eye twitched at the sight. It was pretty obvious what had happened.

 _'Chakra-sucking Leeches...How charming, what kind of monsters did they put in this forest?'_ She thought while breathing to calm herself. _'Ok, calm down, it could be worse...'_

The sound of more water splashes behind her provoked Yakumo to look behind. Several other leeches were emerging from their respective ponds and some of them were even larger than others. The brown-eyed girl could swear that the biggest one had more than 2'10 of length as well as a more wide mouth with a sharp circle of fangs covered by mirth.

It was ironic actually, she had imagined a Genjutsu of leeches that could suck chakra off the target and now she was being targetted by the reality.

 _'I had to open my mouth, isn't it?'_ Thought the Kurama heiress while looking the incoming swarm of chakra-sucking annelids.

 **xXx**

(With Sai.)

Logically unknown to almost every external source (With the notable exceptions of the best Spymasters of the Elemental Nations), the Foundation was well-organized into several divisions and ranks, a feature that wasn't adopted from the original ANBU corps.

Ranks that held the same names than Shōgi Pieces. Why? Because it fitted the best. All shinobi forces where no more than pieces on a table, but at least in Root it was completely clear.

The director, being Danzō-sama the closest person to held the King rank on the one who led the other. Followed closely by the two Generals: The Gold and Silver, Haise Sasaki and Tatsuma Aburame or the ones who managed the rest. Then, the Bishops were next two ranks that were currently missing and protected the King. Then, the two Rooks, which were the leaders of their own camps and only took orders directly from the King as well was another series of non-combat related activities.

Both Rooks and Bishops had first-hand rank: The Promoted One, in which the shinobi held more importance on the hierarchy.

Uzumaki-senpai reached the Promoted Rook status for his prowess in the Sealing Arts.

After the Rooks came the Knights, which were the most focused on combat. And finally, the bulk of Root's forces: The Pawns.

Those where the well-known conditioned drones. More weapons than men and women, they only lived to perform the mission. All Root members were expendable at the end, just like regular shinobi tools.

But there was different between a kunai and a sword, which was the same with pawns and those above the hierarchy. It wasn't just a matter of skills because several pawns had fighting prowess that rivaled the one of the experienced Jõnin. It was more of worth as an individual.

non-existent was a Pawn before being released by his master to keep an eye on some persons of interest and eventually become a Sleeper in the Regular Forces. For some reason, he expected to be in the Uchiha's team knowing the interest that his master had shown towards all related to that Clan but he wasn't THAT surprised when he ended up with the former Promoted Rook.

Most Root members knew that the last Uzumaki had been personally picked by Danzō-sama at a young age taking advantage of the tumult that had maintained the Sandaime's gaze out of the reach of the Jinchūriki.

Who knew that the former Golden General and now S-ranked Missing-Nin would go as far as to break a secret of that magnitude and unknown benefit the Foundation?

But now, that wasn't important. He needed to complete this pseudo-mission in order to become a Genin, although he knew that something was off about the picture.

Anyway, he had already 'dealt' with the two snakes that had pursued him. There was a reason after all why he was considered an exceptional pawn in assassination after all. His Chōju Giga (Super Beast Imitation Picture) was a very versatile technique, only limited by the quantity of paper and ink that he could carry.

Some Ink Serpents had been more than enough to subdue the summons and swift slashes with his tantõ had finished the job. Now he was more focused on finding the white scrolls.

He had found three after many minutes of searching, in which he had to deal with some of the Forest's inhabitants.

Said dodged another vine-whip and quickly draw a pair of Ink Lions in his notebook. "Chōjuu Giga (Super Beast Imitation Picture)!" He called before animating the ink creatures that attacked the aggressive plant that seemed to guard the clearing.

Said vegetal ended up subdued after he used a Kawarimi to appear at its side and stabbed the 'Flower' bisecting the body in the process. Almost instantly, the vines dropped dead and Sai was able to collect the fourth scroll which was resting right in the flower.

 _'Four to go'_ Though the Root operative before disappearing in a  Sumi Shunshin (Ink Body Flicker) and reappearing in another clearing.

Sai scanned his surroundings looking for another scroll when he felt something crack under his feet. He looked below only to see some fallen branches, some pale and ancient branches. Then he realized, those weren't branches, they were bones.

Some noises from the bushes behind him and something rushing with the intent of killing where his only warns before he replaced himself with a nearby log and entered the stance of the Ansatsu no Jutsu (Assassination Technique).

His attacker was a medium-sized feline with orange fur and black lines on it. The predator was now glaring at him before roaring and rushing once again towards the pale soon-to-be-genin.

were

Sai wielded again his tanto completely aware of the other presences on the bushes. _'Odd,'_ he thought, if he had the emotional knowledge, he would have probably narrowed his eyes at that fact. _'Tigers are usually lone predators, but nothing in this forest seems completely natural, I wonder if the former Golden General had something do to with this place.'_

Two other tigers emerged from the bushes and surrounded him waiting for an opening to strike. Sai didn't hesitate on quickly creating two Sumi Bunshin (Ink Clones) to assist him to deal with the newcomers

Sai rushed forwards releasing his blade in a horizontal slash that inflicted a deep wound on the first one and took advantage of the hesitation to deliver another slash that ended up cutting the jugular. The predator dropped dead like his other two brothers.

Sai dispelled his copies and found another scroll hidden in a tree trunk. Now he had five of them.

However, more footsteps began to calmly at his back, and when he turned around, three more tigers were emerging from the bushes, and all of them were focusing their KI in one target.

Him.

If he had known how to, he could have sighed before unsheathing his blade and preparing to summon another Ink Creation.

 **xXx**

(With Anko)

"How boring, " Commented the purple-haired jounin while eating another of her dango sticks. At her side was a crystal orb that looked completely normal. "Shame that I didn't have time to memorize their chakra signatures, that way I could see just how are the brats holding up." Anko finished before a puff of smoke appeared and revealed a small brown-scaled viper.

 **"Anko-ssama,"** hissed the summon, **"Three of the mudjawsss are dead and another two are paralyzed. The three Ningen (Humans) have evaded them for now, do you wish for my kin to continue?"**

"Nah, is fine" Nonchalantly replied Anko with a hand gesture, "Just observe them and report their location to me. I've my suspicions that one of them is a sensor."

The snake nodded before disappearing by the same way it had appeared leaving their summoner alone in the clearing. Completely alone.

Anko turned her head several times to check that she was completely alone and extracted a familiar orange book from her trench coat and began to giggle perversely when she read the marked part.

 _'Ooh Mihō-chan, you're so naughty~'_

 **xXx**

(With Naruto)

To say that Naruto was excited was an understatement. The redhead hadn't stopped to scan his surroundings since he had left the clearing with the smoke bombs. The results of his own training had made sure that he kept his emotions in check, but that hardly meant that he wasn't allowed to mentally laugh at the sight of the snakes angrily coughing.

 _'Cunning and sneaky summons my ass'_ Thought the redhead still amused since the encounter. He had collected two more of the famed white scrolls and was on his way of finding the fourth one. He had 'distracted' himself along the way when he ended up finding more than dangerous inhabitants.

A large, swamp-like clearing connected through a river and multiple small streams extended in front of him. He sniffed the humid air before directing his gaze towards the rotten vegetation in the muddy water.

 _'Smells too much like 'home'_ Thought Naruto remembering the essence of the Salamander Realm as well was the ponds behind the Mask Shrine where he had his not-so-secret [For Root] 'hideout'. He always had found comfortable when he was close to a water source, it made him feel more secure, and coming from someone that was quite familiar with that element was logical.

Holding his hand in a Ram seal, he activated his Kagura Shingan and scanned the water surface. Just like he though, several low-level chakra signatures where present on the water, and strangely, all of them seemed to be moving towards the place where the rotten vegetation and trunks were present.

 _'Huh?'_ , Naruto tilted his head a little before approaching the water surface, _'They must have detected a nearby predator or perhaps a source of food'_ He reasoned while searching for another nearby signature.

 _'Their signatures are too low for being fishes, so their predator cannot be a crocodile or another big fish and I can't detect anything else though'_ Continued the redhead while narrowing his eyes before focusing more chakra in his closest technique.

His sensor inner world expanded allowing him to detect even more than his usual range. His piercing blue cerulean eyes detected a large concentration of blue dots that seemed to crawl over a more larger signature.

 _'They are attacking it?'_ Questioned Naruto before channelizing chakra through his feet, which allowed him to walk over the water surface and began to rush forward still maintaining the Kagura Shingan active which forced him to struggle with his control before dropping it completely. Naruto managed to jump airborne and attach himself to a nearby trunk, where he got a full view of the scene.

A large deer was struggling to free itself from the raging swarm that was covering large parts of its fur. Brown and muddy-colored plain worms that attached themselves through their mouths at the deer's body sucking it dry.

 _'Leeches'_ Thought Naruto not bothering to hide his disgust, he had issues with those creatures since a certain mission that he had taken in the past. Needless to say, he never saw the blood-sucking worms in the same way after that. Naruto activated once again his Mind's Eye only to discover something disturbing.

The chakra signature of the deer was decreasing while one of the leeches was increasing, and when he saw how the bluish glow that signaled the presence of chakra was sucked by the low ones from the leeches were he realized what they truly were.

 _'Oh great'_ He facepalmed _'As if those worms weren't troublesome enough, now the also suck chakra, just great!'_ He sarcastically though while looking to another side. Even though having a pair or two of those creatures could also be interesting, he could probably use them to improve the already shitty  Hiruko Kyūin (Leech Child Absorption Seal) that he was capable of making on his own.

However, when he detected a quite familiar signature several meters ahead and almost surrounded by the chakra-sucking blue dots of doom his eyes widened. However, when he detected a layer of chakra surrounding that particular area he relaxed.

 _'Damm Yakumo-chan, I almost though that you were going to end like the deer over here'_ Though the redhead before hoping over the next branches. He was quite thrilled to see how his best friend had managed to keep the leeches at bay although he had already guessed the answer. Being proud of his Fuuinjutsu progress, Naruto had also a healthy dose of respect towards those dedicated or with a great talent in a shinobi field, and Yakumo was among those persons.

The redhead continued to move between the trees keeping Kagura Shingan active, which allowed him to detect the chakra mantle that covered the area. _'Genjutsu'_ Naruto thought as he let the external flow of chakra enter his system allowing him to fall into the illusion.

Naruto whistled when he saw what the leeches were perceiving. Apparently, the worms did not have enough reasoning ability to be able to distort their chakra systems and thus, they were trapped in Genjutsu. The leeches were sensing being on top of a hot iron plate and judging by their reactions, they seemed to be experiencing it very well.

Naruto only dispersed the illusion out of his system before observing through Kagura's Mental Eye the location of Yakumo. He didn't take long to find the Kurama heiress on a small rock while continuing to cast the Genjutsu. Without wasting any time, he used a seal-less Kawarimi to quickly to substitute with occasionally branch a few meters of distance.

He walked quietly to her side as his other hand formed a faded seal that slowly began to suppress his chakra signature. Once he got to Yakumo's side, he lightly touched her shoulder.

"Boo."

Yakumo screamed as she jumped and looked at him annoyed. "Idiot, don't do that ... Naruto-kun, what are you doing here?"

The redhead just grinned as usual.

"Mah, mah, I thought you had missed me." He said feigning mock hurt before noticing his friend's glare and composing himself. "I was just passing over here and decided to check if you were okay, after all, we are supposed to have a team and your uncle would have more reasons to hate my guts if he knew that I left you alone to fend against an army of chakra -sucking leeches." He said while looking at said group.

"I see, but I also had it under control," Yakumo replied, pointing to the bloodsuckers still trapped inside the illusion she had conjured. "And how exactly were you going to help me with this, were you going to seal away all the leeches into a scroll or what?"

Naruto just grinned again before doing some hand seals. "Oh please, don't be silly, Kami knows that I rarely rely too much on a single aspect of my skills." Said the redhead finishing the hand seals, "Fūton: Kūdan (Wind Release: Air Bullets)"

Naruto opened his mouth and spit out several air bubbles that flew towards the swarm. The air projectiles tore through the leeches bodies killing many of them almost instantly. Naruto prepared again the hand seals and shot another barrage that ended up killing much more leeches whose book smart bodies could barely contain the pressure of the air projectiles. The poor leeches did not stand a chance.

Yakumo felt his jaw drop a little to see the damage done by the Wind Jutsu.

"... Since when are you able to use Elemental Ninjutsu? That's chūnin-level material at least!" Exclaimed the brown-haired heiress a bit were. She knew that her best friend was skilled, bu she didn't think that he was THAT skilled. He truly was way more than just what he wanted everyone to believe he was, which was a little unsettling, especially considering what he could achieve by simply proposing it and with genuine commitment.

Naruto turned around, still smiling. "It will be better if this remains between us for the moment, it could be useful in case Dango-sensei tries to measure us in another way." He said sporting the toothy version of his fox-like grin.

Yakumo gulped before nodding. The way he said about 'different way' was not helping with the doubts that were beginning to invade her mind.

"What do you mean differently?" He asked finally breaking his nerves.

"Think about it," replied the redhead before firing another wave of air bullets at some survivors. "Our Jounin-sensei asks us to collect ten scrolls as a requirement to pass the test even though there are only twenty in existence and we are three."

Yakumo nodded but still did not grasp where her best friend was heading.

Naruto tsked his mouth in disapproval and together both hands. "All the teams have always been four-member: Three Genin and one Jounin with no exception so far." He paused a few seconds before continuing as he knit his fingers in a manner somewhat similar to a certain Hyūga heiress.

It was there when Yakumo caught what the redhead was trying to say.

"Iruka-sensei kept saying that Konoha appreciates teamwork over almost everything, so the answer to the scroll dilemma is that, teamwork." She beamed at her friend while he just calmy nodded.

"Precisely, so we should also look for some fissure in the Crazy Snake Lady's instructions." Pointed out Naruto before parting his hands and uniting them again in a silent slap.

"But I have another question," added Yakumo who seemed to be convinced by the words of earlier, "How did you come to that conclusion?" She asked a bit curious.

"I would like to say that I figured it all out in a complicated system of analysis taken but it would not be true," Naruto replied before scratching behind his neck, "I just found this." He said, pulling out of his jacket and showing what appeared to be one of the scrolls except that it seemed to be dissipating, causing Yakumo to squint before realizing what it was.

"Genjutsu," Replied the Kurama after a few seconds, "Only taking care of giving it the form of a certain inanimate object for were time." Not the most original but effective illusion and Yakumo could respect that.

Naruto nodded. "Precisely, I found two of those, so I don't think it's a simple coincidence." Pointed out the redhead. "That's why I think the intention of collecting them has to be as a team, if there are more than five hoaxes, the rest can be divided into three equal parts."

"I see, then we must work as a team, we can start by reviewing this area." Suggested Yakumo before getting off the rock and extending his hand to take the one of the redhead who only just raised an eyebrow.

"I'm surprised you took it so well. How do you know it's not one of my pranks in order to appropriate your scrolls so I can pass the test?" Naruto stopped when he saw Yakumo turn around with a defensive posture and added. "I'm kidding."

"AHA." He nodded at the Kurama before continuing until he heard a sneeze from Naruto who still continued with his usual mocking stance.

"Are you thinking about walking all that way? Imagine the things that could go around here were and I'm not just talking about leeches [Lie, I killed the alpha predator of the Zone earlier.]" Asked Naruto toying with a kunai that he probably extracted from his pouch.

"Of course, how else are we going to-?" She was about to answer when he saw how Naruto had finished a few seals and stamped his hand on the floor. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"

A huge Japanese salamander appeared in a cloud of smoke with Naruto standing over close to the head. For the second time in the day, Yakumo's jaw dropped a little.

"So," said Naruto before sitting on the amphibian's head. "Do you want to go for a ride?"

THUMP

Naruto sweatdropped after seeing the fallen figure of his friend. 'Oh...She fainted.' He thought before feeling how the head of the Giant Pepper-Class Salamander slightly lifted. **["Hey! Don't look me like that, in my defense, I didn't expect her to faint."]** Said the redhead ignoring the rolled eyes of the salamander.

 **["Do thou want me to shallow her?"]**

 **["Of course not stupid, just crouch a bit so I can take her on board."]** Smacked Naruto while jumping over his summon to help his fallen friend.

'Hmm, I wonder how is Sai! we will pick him after this. He can take care of himself.'

 **xXx**

(Location: Not so far.)

Sai sneezed as he tried to avoid another courtesy tug from a tiger that had come too close. Nearby, his copies of ink and creations were occupied being cut in the middle or finishing with the other attackers. He rolled over the ground before deflecting another of the claws and lashing with a blade that cut deep into the animal fur. The feline stepped back in a rush of pain but his voice was silenced when the blade of one of the clones caught him from behind.

Sai drew a pair of snakes that slithered toward the attackers, immobilizing the remaining felines, who tried to resist uselessly before their lives were mown by the swords of the clones of ink.

The Foundation's agent did not blink at the deaths and merely wiped the sweat from his forehead before it made his vision difficult.

It had not been so difficult to deal with predators. This was no more skillful than a couple of Academy students, of whom Sai was sure that he could annihilate with complete safety. But they were not in Kirigakure, so that action would have no relevance.

Silently, he set out to take another of the white scrolls he had located near one of the bushes. However, a few shrieks and creaks behind the trees put him on guard again. Whatever it was, they were not tigers.

The crunches again appeared until there was a movement among the larger shrubs. It was clear that there was something out there very large and that it was watching him. Sai added the data to learn how to use someone else's chakra sensory techniques for future uses, it was a skill that could serve him later to make his orders much more efficiently

The creaking continued for a few seconds before a pale object shot out of the branches in its direction.

The first impulse was to dodge, which allowed him to see that the thing was nothing more than a viscous substance that had stuck almost instantly where it had fallen, which meant that the identity of what was hidden was ...

Branches crunched when powerful pedipalps pushed them and revealed the immense bulk of a gigantic spider whose six ruby eyes were fixed on Root's pale limb.

A gigantic spider and apparently with some intelligence.

If he had had the emotional intelligence required, Sai's eye would have twitched at the sight. It looked like he would need to use a Tactical Retreat. I.e. running away for his life.

 _'Perhaps it would have been more logical to team up with Uzumaki-sempai. If there is anyone who is able to walk the lines of a Heavy Hitter and an Assassination Specter is him.'_

 **xXx**

"ACHOO!"

Naruto sneezed before he could cover his mouth which caused a few drops of his saliva to end up in the mouth of the giant salamander that did not seem to matter the action, of course, when you swim most of the time in a series Of springs covered with mud and rotten vegetation a piece of saliva is nothing, or at least that thought Naruto always.

The redhead pinned the tip of his nose before taking a breath. "Huh? Someone was talking about me, I wonder who and why?" He wondered before he heard a groan behind him.

He turned around to see how Yakumo tried to sit up on the scaly back of the salamander on which both were above. The brunette looked like someone who wanted to murder somebody, which was understandable since she had apparently discovered two shocking secrets from her best friend, but hey! It's not like he hadn't told her that.

"Oh, you're awake at last." Commented the redhead trying to break the ice and failing miserably on it.

"At last?" Growled Yakumo before approaching. "When you are going to tell me that you are this advanced ?! I thought you trusted me!"

Naruto just waited until his friend finished her rant and poked her head.

"I do trust you, Yakumo-chan, it's just that I like to keep some things wrapped so that people can appreciate them better." Explained Naruto which was partly true, he didn't like to show off THAT often, he preferred to only reveal the tip of the iceberg.

"And besides, it's not like you've never kept something to yourself, don't forget that I can know when someone is lying." Pointed out Naruto with a reassuring smile. The smile that disappeared when the salamander stopped and lifted its head. Yakumo heard how a rough grunt like- sentence escaped through the amphibian's mouth only to be answered by another one by Naruto who narrowed his eyes before continuing to talk in the strange tongue.

Naruto replied, "Dokuzetsū (Poisonous Tongue), is the language of the salamanders, some speak ours, but the oldest and largest do not."

Yakumo nodded, not really understanding much. "'And how did you learn it?'

Naruto shrugged. "My memory helped a little, but it was a couple of salamanders who helped me. It was a pain in the ass."

Another grunting by the amphibian used as a mount was heard, which led the redhead to make a growl that probably did not need translation so that one could understand what was said.

 **"[For Ibuse's fucking tongue. What the hell do you want now Daizetsū?"]** Growled Naruto. Salamanders weren't nice animals nor summons. They where hungry predators that bordered in traitorous. Naruto knew that if he dropped his guard too much, they could turn against him so it was of great importance to maintain an image of impotence.

 **"[Don't you sense it, you whiskered monkey? There is prey nearby]"** Growled Daizetsū sticking his tongue out of the mouth while the pores of his head detected a nearby presence.

 **"[I can only sense stuff when my Mind's Eye is three meters you Overgrow-]"** Naruto stopped his rant when Yakumo poked his arm in the same manner as he had done to her before.

"Naruto-kun, please stop swearing or yelling. I think there is something else here." Said Yakumo while pointing towards a nearby group of bushes whose branches were violently twitching.

Naruto noticed what both Daizetsū and Yakumo indicated and concentrated on detecting the area chakra spike and what he found made his eyebrows arch a little.

 _'Oh shit!'_

The silhouette of Sai running through the other side of the six meters while being pursued by the largest spider they had seen in their entire life and whose monstrous dimensions caused Naruto to wonder if he had actually killed the area's predator because at least the fucking centipede had not been that big.

Before Yakumo could do anything to stop him, the redhead had already jumped out of the salamander and ran towards his future teammate. Sai continued to run before jumped into the air and landed near the mount.

The spider emitted a kind of crunching from his jaws as he watched as Naruto approached but failed to notice the series of seals that Naruto was running with one hand.

"Fūton: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)" said Naruto before a compressed gale of the wind formed around him and was expelled towards the spider. The giant arachnid was knocked back some meters behind and cried of pain feeling how the wind attack damaged it's body.

Still rushing forward, Naruto unsealed Guren and swung it in a horizontal slash. "Uzumaki-Ryū: Shōja no Jutsu (Whirpool-Style: Serpent's Thrust Technique)" The chakra extension-like serpent slithered through the air before brutally biting the spider's frontal legs. The redhead jumped taking impulse from the chakra extension and did another one-handed seal while airborne.

"Kōngo Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains)" He said before four shining chains emerged from his back and impaled the arachnid's back who could only cry of pain as the four sharp kunai-like tips of the chains pierced its exoskeleton.

"I didn't though that his chains were able to to do that."Commented Yakumo still above Daizetsū who apparently was looking for something akin to hunger the spider. Sai, who was standing next to the giant amphibian shrugged.

 _'So those are Uzumaki-senpai notorious Chakra Chains'_ Thought the black-haired member of the Foundation. _'Such versatile tools, able to maim and bind opponents almost instantly. Not even Fū and Torune-san were able to evade them during their duel.'_

Meanwhile, Naruto had raised Guren still enveloped with the blue layer that signaled the chakra influence in the blade and descended forward piercing instantly the head of the monstrous spider whose screeching turned off as well as the light on its six eyes.

Naruto swung Guren cleaning it off the filter and sealed it beneath his jacket as his adamantine chains retracted to his back. "Man, this forest it's getting so fun." commented the redhead to cheerfully as if he hadn't just slain a giant spider of all things!

Yakumo's eye was practically twitching at that while a dark aura began to appear around her body releasing raw waves of KI.

"You think?" She sarcastically asked while Sai just smiled again.

 **xXx**

(Twenty Minutes Later.)

Sai had already narrated his side of the story and the pursue as well bt the time the trio was finishing to cross the nearby water source mounted on Daizetsū. Naruto was at the front on top of the salamander's head with Kagura Shingan active in order to scan the surroundings. Even if the already encountered predators where chakra-sucking leeches, killer-intent using tigers and a giant spider it never hurt to be more cautious, or at least that was what Naruto said when quoting the other shinobi who was worldwide known for using the same summons than him.

Yakumo patted the salamander's back when the giant amphibian finally reached the shore. Daizetsū seemed o appreciate the gesture and attempted to lick the brown-haired girl's face if not for Naruto's interference, who merely ordered the summon to hide underground and wait for future instructions wich Daizetsū did, after all, the summoner had given him the remains of the dead spider for lunch.

"Trust me, you really don't want to be licked by one of those guys," said Naruto noticing his best friend's glare at him. "Saliva would be the least of your worries. [The poison would paralyze you, and kill you, slowly.]"

That seemed to relax the Kurama heiress a little who just flinched at the idea. "So, how are we going to do this?"

Naruto looked at Sai, who just nodded. Then, both boys showed their respective collected scrolls. The five of Naruto and the six of Sai, Yakumo added her five ones.

"Ten scrolls each one and there is only twenty of them. However, five were fake ones while only fifteen remain as genuine." Pointed out Naruto looking at the scroll pill. "I assume that it was on purpose to make us fight between us, which actually, pretty much backfired since we were busy enough saving our own hides from being eaten."Deadpanned the redhead which provoked a few nods of approvement from the other two.

"However, she also told us that we had to follow completely her instructions." Added Yakumo thoughtfully, or was the last statement just another trick fro them? It was difficult to guess, especially when the purple haired jōnin acted so unpredictable.

"I think that she planned that since the beginning. " Said Sai looking at the pile without blinking. "However, I believe that the scrolls serve to another purpose."

Naruto squinted his eyes in a fox-like manner before grabbing one of the scrolls and inspecting it. Nothing special for other people, a simple paper scroll with a kanji for Gen (Black) engraved in the center. However to him, being a sensor and an Uzumaki, the sole touch of the paper revealed to him the presence of inactive sealing arrays that connected with the central character.

 _'I don't recognize the sealing pattern'_ Thought the redhead while activating Kagura Shingan to inspect better the seal. He narrowed his eyes seeing the deactivated matrix which was something rare, even for him.

"What do you think, Naruto-san?" asked Sai. Naruto inwardly flinched at the use of his name in that way but recovered. He grabbed another two scrolls and discovered the same pattern. He looked at the pile and the bluish glow was the only response he met. _'I should have known, it's a Sanjū Senkei no Kasen-Ka (Triple-Lineal Activation)'_

"It's a puzzle." Answered the redhead tilting his head a little. "Each one of the scrolls has the same character engraved on them, some with Byaku while others with Gen, we need to put them in the correct order so the seal can be activated."

Yakumo nodded. "Okay, let's do it." She said trying to accommodate the scrolls only to be stopped by Naruto once again.

Feeling the interrogative stare, the redhead sighed again before throwing a glance at Sai who just nodded in return.

"Kurama-san, don't you recall that Mitarashi-sensei said that she would know when the scrolls were gathered?" Offered the pale by giving another fo his fake smiles, which the girl would found unnerving if not for the fact that she had been subjected to the Jigoku Kitsune no Shizen (Gaze of the Infernal Fox) for some years.

Naruto nodded. "It's a Substitution Item." he looked at the other two who waited for him to elaborate and sighed again. Kami, there were times when he just missed Tsukino. "They are complex formulae that are written in a scroll when activated, they can summon an object or even a person as long at it is at a range and has an active chakra signature. They are said to be rare to create and use."

It was a pure truth. During his times working as the Promoted Rook of the Foundation, he had been put in a charge of several Fuuinjutsu-related projects by Danzo. The modified Zekka Konzetsu no In (Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal) was one of then along the creation of several inactive wards of defensive seals i.e, barriers. He had also been tasked with the creation of a couple of Substitution Items, which had been completed after some months of work, a testament to the skills that the redhead had on the Sealing Arts.

"So," continued Yakum. "That means that when the puzzle is completed, Anko-san will appear here?"

Seeing the two equal nods provoked a groan from the brunette. What were they supposed to do now?

"Well, that means that we have to prepare a good welcome for her."

Said the redhead smiling as he began to place some of the scrolls in order but omitting those from the center.

"What are you doing?" Yakumo asked. Sai looked equally intrigued even though his mind was already beginning to process the situation well.

"Working as a team ..." Murmured the pale member of the Foundation, "Maybe the real test is that, but just in case, it never hurts to make sure first. "

"Unpreparedness is one's greatest enemy." recited Naruto. "If Crazy Snake Lady doesn't want to pass us for good. She'll have to do it the hard way. Now, Sai, Yakumo-chan, what little surprises should we show our future Jounin-sensei?"

The other two could only shiver when they saw the evil gleam in the blue eyes of the redhead.

 **xXx**

(Ten Minutes Later)

"Agh!" Anko grunted. "These brats are taking so long, is it so difficult to gather the fifteen real pieces ?! I would swear that a group of students could do it faster!"

Then she calmed down a little. "Although, that will give me time to prepare an amazing entry," thought the purple-haired jounin who was now busy thinking about possible poses that she could use.

Then she sank into her gut before a cloud of smoke enveloped her and ended up falling into another clearing.

"Ha, I knew they were going to make it." Declared the Jounin as she placed both hands on her waist and inspected the place. "Meh, it does not seem to be the big thing but ... A Genjutsu like that will not work against someone of my caliber [Especially when your best friend is basically the best Genjutsu user in the village.]" Anko said before doing a single hand seal, "Genjutsu: Kai (Illusion Technique: Release)"

The surroundings seemed to dissipate until it revealed a practically identical clearing with the exception that there were some dry trunks scattered about.

"Aww, how cute, they left me logs for Kawarimi, I wonder what else they left me," Anko commented as he left the rectangle formed by the scrolls that formed the Substitution Item.

However, she soon regretted to do so as soon as she put a foot out, a formula hidden in the ground glowed slightly before a metal sound was revealed followed by a barrage of senbon that almost managed to reach Anko, who saw herself forced to replace with one of the trunks to evade the projectiles.

"What the fuck?" She said only to see how another barrage was approaching, but this time she managed to jump evading them. "Where the hell are they coming from ?!"

The answer was revealed in the form of a pair of Sealing Tags planted on some of the trunks. One of them glowed before releasing another barrage of needles which provoked a curse from the purple-haired jounin who managed to evade them again. _'Of course, the redhead's brat specialty is Fūinjutsu. So that means that the Genjutsu was from Witchy, which leaves...'_

She did not have time to finish the thought when a series of ink splinters were swept up to her and ended up pouncing on her figure.

 _'Ink? Beware of what you ask for Anko ... '_ She thought while wielding a kunai and stabbing the nearest ones that dissolve to contact very much for her taste. But while she did, Anko forgot to take care of the senbon that still continued to be fired each time the formula engraved on the floor detected chakra usage.

"Ah, shit" she swore when she felt like three of the needles were nailed to her back. "These children are not normal." She commented before replacing again with another of the trunks. 'I must get out of here, I don't think that the little brats have marked ALL the clearing.'

However, when she stumbled against an invisible wall that sent her to the ground and Anko realized the gray labels placed close by she swore a curse. _'A barrier? A BARRIER? What the fuck are they teaching kids today ?! '_ She mentally cried before noticing something else. The air felt heavy as well as the atmosphere, so her eyes widened when she understood it.

 _'A double-layered Genjutsu?' Man, these kids are not pushovers'_ Anko thought while breaking the second illusion. This time, she appeared a little far from the scrolls in the clearing, but the trunks weren't there anymore, instead, she found her the three genin waiting for her, all three with smug expressions drawn on their faces.

"So, sensei, did we pass already?" Asked Naruto harboring a toothy grin now while both of his hands were inside the pockets of his gray jacket.

'Oh, I'm so going to wipe out that smile from your face, you little fox ..' Thought Anko while her usual expression returned to her face. The Tokubetsu Jounin walked a bit with her hands on her waist.

"Of course not," She took note of any of the visible reactions of the three and concluded that they had already prepared for that, _'Damnit! That would ruin the surprise, '_ Thought the purple-haired jounin with a mental frown before shrugging. _'Nah! It's not like they'll be that troublesome to deal.'_

"But why?" Yakumo asked. "We worked together as a team to gather the scrolls and bring you here, Anko-sensei?"

"Ah, and that was very good, but guess what? I didn't see shit of that, so I cannot evaluate correctly unless ..." Too late, the purple-haired jounin had already finished the chain of hand seals that she had been preparing discreetly and had already stamped it against the ground, "Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"

Four medium-sized snakes sprouted out of the cloud of smoke and slid toward the three Genin, but before they could get even closer, Naruto did a single seal, "Fūin Fuda Kekkai: Ketsu (Sealing Tag Barrier: Bind)!"

Formulae threads emerged from the soil thus revealing a dozen sealing labels hidden underground. The threads succeeded in enveloping some of the snakes successfully binding them.

"Now!" Commanded Naruto while running a couple of more hand seals, making many more threads emerge from the sealing tags, some trying to reach Anko. As soon as they heard his orders, the other two set out to execute different things. Yakumo started a chain of seals while Sai seemed to be drawing at high speed.

 _'Tsk, to be a brat out of the Academy, he's good, very good._ ' Anko thought, evading several threads, _'His knowledge about Seals is disturbing to someone his age, not even him knew so much about the subject.'_

Suddenly she saw that instead of threads, there were vines the things that were trying to paralyze her. _'Genjutsu?'_ She thought before releasing a chakra pulse to dissipate the illusion, only to meet a series of Tomoe Lions made of ink running towards her.

"But what the-?" She could not finish the sentence before she saw how the same vines that she had dissipated now began to wrap underneath her legs and were quickly followed by the same threads of the sealing formulas.

' _Not even in dreams would they catch me so easily, the others would never let me live after this!'_ Anko thought before replacing herself with a dry branch. ' _Now, let's see how good they really are at close quarters!'_

Making use of her great agility, Anko managed to approach the redhead with great speed and kicked him directly towards his head. Naruto, seeing her come, ducked accidentally not noticing the next blow to the right side that stunned him a little before being received for a kick that only on his best day could have avoided.

 _'Agh!'_ The redhead thought, _'She is not a jounin for nothing, her Taijutsu is pretty good ...'_

Sai ran a lot faster and tried to kick up from the top as a feint, but Anko was much faster and rolled on the ground avoiding the blow and only extended her hand, "Sen'ei Jashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)! "

Several snakes were ejected from her sleeves and managed to trap the pale boy until his form dissolved revealing an Ink Clone in his place. Anko retreated to the ground before ordering the snakes to paralyze the three, which they were willing to obey before seeing as a blue wave sent two of the specimens flying.

"Uzumaki-Ryū: Kusanagi no Jutsu (Whirpool-Style: Grass-Mowing Technique)!"

Anko turned only to meet the recovered figure of Naruto who did not seem very happy to have been hit so easily, in his hand held a sword of ninjatou type enveloped in a layer of chakra.

 _' Chakura Nagashi (Chakra Flow)? Just who the hell is this kid ?! '_

The redhead took an attack stance as he brandished his sword, releasing an identical chakra wave through the tip of the blade. Anko leaped out of the chakra's edge and kicked at the waving hand, only to retreat at the last moment by means of a Kawarimi when Naruto executed a blockade.

 _'His Taijutsu could improve'_ Anko thought as he landed and extracted a kunai from his pouch. _'But that skill with the sword and chakra flow partly compensates it, it was always dangerous to fight against Asuma and his fucking knives after-'_

Naruto lashed out again with a wave of stabbing from various angles, stealing the slightest opportunity for the jounin to have a single breath. However, Anko took advantage of the least distraction to be able to use again the same Jutsu that had previously used against Sai.

"Sen'ei Jashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)! "

Several snakes emerged again from his sleeve and pounced on the redhead, who had no qualms about blocking the reptiles with his sword causing them several cuts at the same time before running an inverse bow.

"Do you like the snakes Dango-sensei? Look at mine!, Uzumaki-Ryū: Shōja no Jutsu! (Whirpool-Syle: Serpent's Thrust Technique!)"

Anko's lower jaw hung a little as she saw a spectral serpentine form appear from the tip of the redhead's sword that stretched threateningly, opening her mouth and revealing sharp jaws.

But that did not stop him from reacting in time and avoiding the attack, Anko threw his kunai towards Naruto who diverted it with the shape of the snake like a whip before it dissipated. _'Of course, Chakra Flow techniques require a lot of control'_ The Jounin thought before using  Sen'ei Jashu (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands).

But then she began to feel a great heat and saw her surroundings light up, Anko looked up and watched as a huge burning ball rushed towards her. If it had been a rookie, it would have worked, but Anko had more than just normal experience in the Genjutsu field. She dispelled the illusion only to notice Yakumo some meters at her left with something akin a predatory grin and the purple-haired jounin soon realized the motive.

Numerous serpents and leeches made of ink were around her and seemed ready to wrap her along the sealing threads.

"...But how?" Anko said weakly.

"How many illusions do you think I put in you?" Yakumo asked. "More than five in total."

"We were just the distractions." Adding Sai, who was unharmed, taking into account the fact that he had used Kawarimi numerous times with Ink Clones, was not uncommon.

"It was fun while it lasted." Finished Naruto who looked completely normal if you didn't take into account the slight thorns in his mesh shirt. The redhead came smiling. "Well, I'll repeat the same question from beginning. Have we passed the exam yet? "

Anko smirked and shook her head. "Nope, nope, and nope, I'll see you in the Academy."

Three glares focused on her before the redhead sighed. "Well, I had hoped that we wouldn't reach this part but alas, it seems that today is not the case [Lie, you were waiting for this since the Giant Centipede nearly chewed you]."

Naruto placed his hand on the floor and channeled a pulse of chakra. _' Ninpō Kuchiyose: Ryūkuchi (Ninja Art Summoning: Rising Maw)'_

Anko was confused before a huge mouth emerged from the earth and engulfed her completely. Daizetsū emerged from the hole into a normal position and looked at his summoner who just nodded. "[You can let her out now]"

Daizetsū seemed to nod before opening his maw and releasing a slime covered Anko who looked murderous. Yakumo and Sai took a step behind while Naruto was debating whether creating Kage Bunshin and get the hell out of there or let Daizetsū shallow her again. He really was considering the second option.

"Eh, taking into account that you ordered us to play the treasure hunter in a forest full of lethal animals, being swallowed by a giant salamander does not sound so bad." Tried to reason Naruto before feeling a wave of KI towards him.

The screams of the redhead could be heard all around the clearing.

 **xXx**

The walk through the forest was a quiet but tense journey. Anko ignored the glares of Yakumo, Naruto, and Sai. Naruto was able to walk under his own power after a few minutes which brought questions to his teammates' head. Anko could feel the intent of the three and it just made her smile more.

"Well, I got to say that you three surprised me. But taking into consideration that the three of you graduated with high marks in the practical fields, it wasn't that far-fetched to think that you would all pass." Anko said without facing them.

"Taking into account that we almost died there ..." Yakumo grunted under her breath.

"Don't be like that. I did say that you three surprised me. Now, we can get to the true life of a ninja." Anko said.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Naruto redhead was still sore about being bound with snakes of all things and used as a kicking sack for a few minutes. If not for his natural regeneration, he would barely be able to move. _'Gah, I hate feeling so weak.'_

"According to the Hokage, you three have the potential to be a high specialized team. Each of you has the skills for it. Usually, such teams are rare to appear but you guys make a solid on. This test was just to see if you could work together." Anko explained.

"There could have been a better way to do this," Yakumo growled.

"Where's the fun in that?" Anko asked and resumed walking.

The team sighed and followed her. It would be another hour before they reached the exit. Anko locked the place up before turning her attention back to her team. "Well, I've got to go and let the Hokage know of my team's success [Lie, I've to do that tomorrow]. Meet me here at eight." She said and was gone.

The team just looked at each other for a little while. Naruto finally broke the silence.

"I'm heading the Ichiraku's. Are you guys coming?" Naruto asked.

"Are you buying?" Sai asked. Naruto just shrugged and walked away. Sai followed him with his hands in his pockets. Yakumo soon followed and the three of them made their way to the ramen stand.

The pale boy and former member of the Foundation hadn't missed the look that the Jinchuuriki had threw to him and then, he noticed a small note attached to his black shirt. Discretely, he took it and read.

 _'Even if you're only a low Pawn. I'll not drop my guard around you. We'll maintain this teamwork, for now. But allow me to clear something. If you try something funny, I'll not hesitate to make you an acquaintance of my summons.'_

 _P.S: This thing will be destroyed soon._

 _-Foxface._

* * *

 **A/N:** **I'm sorry, almost three weeks to upload this chapter, the reason was that I passed at least one of them without internet and some high school projects, but well, better late than never.**

 **This Introductory Arc will be finished at least in one of the next chapters before moving on to the next one, do not expect much character development for the moment.**

 **See you in the next chapter.**

 **-Ezequiel Kirishiki- (04/28/17)-**


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